{"id":353543,"date":"2026-01-05T15:50:12","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T15:50:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/353543\/"},"modified":"2026-01-05T15:50:12","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T15:50:12","slug":"seven-remarkable-species-found-at-conservation-charity-sites-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/353543\/","title":{"rendered":"Seven \u2018remarkable\u2019 species found at conservation charity sites"},"content":{"rendered":"

The discovery of seven rare species at National Trust for Scotland sites in 2025 is a \u201cpowerful sign\u201d its conservation efforts are working, the charity has said.<\/p>\n

Corncrake chicks, lichen, a rare fungus and an unusual beetle are among the \u201cremarkable\u201d species recorded in 2025, many of them found nowhere else in Scotland, the UK, or in some cases the world.<\/p>\n

National Trust for Scotland (NTS) said that the discoveries highlight the importance of safeguarding nature and are a reminder of the pressures facing these delicate ecosystems amid climate change and habitat loss.<\/p>\n

The species found include corncrake chicks on the Treshnish Isles, which were acquired by the trust in 2023.<\/p>\n

\"Small<\/p>\n

Small cow-wheat in Glencoe (Jim Mcintosh\/NTS\/PA)<\/p>\n

At that time, the distinct rasping call of corncrakes could occasionally be heard, however there was no evidence to confirm they were breeding there.<\/p>\n

Unmistakable black fluffy corncrake chicks were spotted, confirming suspicions that the endangered species is successfully breeding on the Hebridean archipelago.<\/p>\n

Other species found last year include a Scotch annulet moth on the Isle of Canna, which was the first record of this \u201cscarce and modest upland moth\u201d on the island since 1979.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere a rare rove beetle, a species found under stones in montane habitat on slopes, ridges and summits, was spotted at Ben Lawers National Nature Reserve, while a greater butterfly-orchid was found at Bannockburn and nine lesser butterfly-orchids at Torridon.<\/p>\n

Jeff Waddell, head of nature conservation for NTS, said: \u201cAs custodians of some of Scotland\u2019s most important natural places, we have a unique responsibility to look after the nature in our care, and we remain committed to restoring and protecting habitats where species can not only survive but thrive.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese discoveries also remind us of the importance of safeguarding nature.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany of these species exist on the edge of their range or survive only in isolated pockets, and their presence in Scotland is a powerful signal that our conservation efforts are making a real difference.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it is also a reminder of the pressures facing these delicate ecosystems from climate change to habitat loss and the need for continued vigilance and support.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy restoring uplands, woodlands and grasslands and by monitoring these landscapes carefully, we\u2019re helping ensure that these remarkable species and their habitats endure for generations to come.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Cortinarius<\/p>\n

Cortinarius eucaeruleus fungus, Killiecrankie (Ruth Alexander\/NTS\/PA)<\/p>\n

Other species found in 2025 included Cortinarius eucaeruleus at Killiecrankie in Perth and Kinross.<\/p>\n

A rare fungus on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, it was discovered by NTS seasonal ranger Angus Todd and was verified by mycologist Liz Holden.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere a thriving population of small cow-wheat was recorded for the first time at Glencoe National Nature Reserve, while the rare lichen Thelocarpon actonii was also discovered at the nature reserve by lichenologist Andy Acton.<\/p>\n

Mr Waddell said: \u201cThese discoveries are more than scientific records; they are reminders of what makes Scotland\u2019s landscapes so extraordinary.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom a rare fungus sprouting in ancient woodland to orchids thriving in restored grasslands, each find tells a story about the resilience of nature and the value of long-term conservation.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs custodians of some of Scotland\u2019s most important natural places, we have a unique responsibility to look after the nature in our care, and we remain committed to restoring and protecting habitats where species can not only survive but thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Established in 1931, NTS cares for more than 100 sites, including islands, coastlines, gardens, mountain ranges, castles and battlefields.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The discovery of seven rare species at National Trust for Scotland sites in 2025 is a \u201cpowerful sign\u201d…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":300968,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[53849,14756,135515,4918,49245,135514,135516,45313,125238,90,200,56,54,55,4407],"class_list":{"0":"post-353543","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-wildlife","8":"tag-conservation-efforts","9":"tag-endangered-species","10":"tag-jeff-waddell","11":"tag-national-trust","12":"tag-nature-conservation","13":"tag-nts","14":"tag-rare-fungus","15":"tag-rare-species","16":"tag-remarkable-species","17":"tag-science","18":"tag-scotland","19":"tag-uk","20":"tag-united-kingdom","21":"tag-unitedkingdom","22":"tag-wildlife"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/353543","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=353543"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/353543\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/300968"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=353543"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=353543"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=353543"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}