Hove
BURMESE PYTHON
Signs have been put up on lampposts warning the residents in Hove to be on the alert after a Burmese Python had escaped, they have been advised to check their sheds and homes , and not to approach the female python as she is pregnant and is very unpredictable.

Mr Peter Davenport resident of Hove said "I don't want to find her curled up on my sofa, especially if she is pregnant, I know how moody women get when their hormones are all over the place."

It is not known if this poster is a hoax as there is no contact number on there at all.

Burmese Pythons can grow as 6m and weight up to 90 kg their lifespan is around 25 years, they are fed on mice and rabbits in captivity, but who knows if it is not a hoax watch out you never know what may be watching your toy poodle in the back garden.

So if you know any information regarding the Python the feel free to contact us or Hove RSPCA , as we would like to get to the bottom of this before it slithers away.

(Source: the Metro - 29th October 2004)

Contributed By: Paul Williams
Re - Written By: Cher Jenkins

File: 2004-270
Ref No: 1818

Rye Harbour
NEW SPECIES
New species found in Sussex
Scientists have discovered a previously unknown insect species living deep in the shingle on the Sussex coast.
The Megaselia yatesi has been named after Dr Barry Yates, who found it by setting a specially made trap at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve. Though unremarkable to look at, the small black scuttle fly is unique. It lives up to a metre deep in shingle where it feeds and breeds in between the stones.

WILD BOAR
Farmers warn of wild boar dangers
Four hundred years after it was hunted almost to extinction, the wild boar is making a reappearance in the South East - and causing problems for farmers. It is estimated there are up to 1,000 of the large, tusked animals in Kent and East Sussex alone.

Farmers and conservationists are worried that the rapid spread of the animals could destroy crops and lead to an increase in road accidents. Commercial wild boar farmers say the boars which actually live out in the wild are also responsible for spreading disease such as swine fever and foot-and-mouth.

Escape after storms
Government experts are compiling a report into the problem after scientists said a colony of the omnivorous animals grew up in south east England following storms in 1987 and 1989 when 15 of them escaped from farms. Keith Taylor, of the British Wild Boar Association, said drastic action is needed. He said: "We think that ideally they should be culled, but it's easier said than done because they are nocturnal and are difficult to find. "It would certainly require a team of professional stalkers to find them and professionally cull them, so we don't have members of the public or anyone else going out on a wild boar hunt."

(Source: BBC News)
6th October 2003

Contributed by: Mark Fraser
www.scottishbigcats.org
The Scottish Big Cat Society.

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WILD BOAR MEET
We'll there's no doubt about it, Wild Boar are making a comeback to the UK, and a group of us will be hopefully visiting some woodlands down in East Sussex, where we're hoping to find signs o'plenty of Wild Boar there.

The purpose of our visit will be to hopefully recognize these signs etc, in preparation for any future reports to any of our members.

If anyone would like to join us then please let me know, my email address is at the bottom of this page, or call me on: (01509) 551 621

DATE: 9th May 2004

TIME: 12:00 noon

LOCATION: East Sussex, Nr Rye

Chris Mullins
Co-ordinator
BEASTWATCH UK
Tel: (01509) 551 621
Mobile: 07021 123 777
Email: info@beastwatch.co.uk

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N.B. We at Beastwatch UK pride ourselves for trying to write only truthful accounts of all events, if you know of any reports here to be incorrectely presented then please accept our appologies and contact us immediately letting us know the true facts behind the report, as it is not our intention to write any untruths here.

If you have any further information on any of these, or any other reports for this or other areas, then please let us know

Thank you

Chris Mullins
Co-ordinator
BEASTWATCH UK
info@beastwatch.co.uk