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Wild Kingdom: Bringing Back Britain's Wildlife
Can Britain make room for wildlife? Stephen Moss believes it can. The newspaper headlines tell us that Britain’s wildlife is in trouble. Wild creatures that have lived here for thousands of years are disappearing, because of pollution and persecution, competition with alien species, changing farming and forestry practices, and climate change. It’s not just rare creatures such as the Scottish wildcat or the red squirrel that are vanishing. Hares and hedgehogs, skylarks and water voles, even the humble house sparrow, are in freefall. But there is also good news. In Newcastle, otters have returned to the river Tyne and red kites are flying over the Metro centre; in Devon, there are beavers on the River Otter; and peregrines – the fastest living creature on the planet – have taken up residence in the heart of London. Elsewhere in the British countryside things are changing too. What were once nature-free zones are being ‘rewilded’; giving our wild creatures the space they need – not just to survive, but also to thrive. Stephen Moss has travelled the length and breadth of the UK, from the remote archipelago of St Kilda to our inner cities, to witness at first hand how our wild creatures are faring, and offers us this complex, heartfelt and often unexpected response.
304 pages, Paperback
First published April 7, 2016
17 people are currently reading
248 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Moss
75 books144 followersLibrarian Note: there is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads database.
Stephen Moss is a naturalist, broadcaster, television producer and author. In a distinguished career at the BBC Natural History Unit his credits included Springwatch, Birds Britannia and The Nature of Britain. His books include The Robin: A Biography, A Bird in the Bush, The Bumper Book of Nature, Wild Hares and Hummingbirds and Wild Kingdom. He is also Senior Lecturer in Nature and Travel Writing at Bath Spa University. Originally from London, he lives with his family on the Somerset Levels, and is President of the Somerset Wildlife Trust. He is a regular contributor to the Guardian.
Stephen Moss is a naturalist, broadcaster, television producer and author. In a distinguished career at the BBC Natural History Unit his credits included Springwatch, Birds Britannia and The Nature of Britain. His books include The Robin: A Biography, A Bird in the Bush, The Bumper Book of Nature, Wild Hares and Hummingbirds and Wild Kingdom. He is also Senior Lecturer in Nature and Travel Writing at Bath Spa University. Originally from London, he lives with his family on the Somerset Levels, and is President of the Somerset Wildlife Trust. He is a regular contributor to the Guardian.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
August 22, 2017
Wildlife has been declining in Britain over the last few decades; it is an unfortunate by-product of human population growth, which in the modern world has increased significantly. Through this book Moss suggests a few ways in which we can start to bring back some of Britain's wildlife without compromising the human way of life: we can co-exist with nature.
Responsibility is the key with a strong emphasis on a more active approach to understanding the environment and ecology. Moss is very aware of the impact of farming on natural land, on the habitat(s) of wildlife, though he isn't about blaming the farmers. They have a job to do, a nation to feed, and a quota to meet to ensure profit. What Moss instead suggests is that environmentally friendly methods can be adopted by farmers, methods that wouldn't damage their profits too heavily, but would also ensure the survival of wildlife. He wants to work with the farmers, with the nation, and strive for mutual improvement.
For example, he suggests that space is the key. He draws on case studies, studies in which farmers have left hedgerows on their land and natural foliage on the outskirts. In these instances the population of wildlife has increased, insects have been attracted to the plant life and then predators have soon followed. This has increased sightings of rare birds on such land. Small, simple changes are, indeed, very effective. However, one oversight I noticed was a lack of consideration for farming more sustainable things. Improving the methods is always good, but if we can farm more productive alternatives then it would eliminate much of the problem.
If such ideas and responsible practices can be applied on a larger scale, to our forests, to our rivers and to the oceans, then there would be wider spread improvement. Wildlife numbers would increase. The real looming threat though is global climate change and its effect on the natural world. If this isn't addressed, then no minor improvements will have any effect. Moss rightfully recognises this, though it is not the focus of his book. The ideas he gives are changes that we can reach for on a societal level, ones that would install a sense of responsibility the globe needs to adopt. The writing is eloquent and highly detailed; it's the words of a man who loves the wildlife of Britain, and one who laments the fact that so much has been lost.
However, the most successful element of the writing is its power to debunk the myth that Britain's countryside is ripe and green. The reality of the situation is that it was once ripe and green, but our way of life has changed this greatly. Even now though there is a chance to change this. The book is rich in optimism, a hope that things can and will get better if we work for it. And therein is the rub: do we want it? Moss offers a compelling case for improvement, an excellent account that is both passionate and informed. It's hard not be convinced by the argument he offers.
-I received an advanced reading copy of this book from The Bookbag in exchange for an honest review, originally posted here.
Responsibility is the key with a strong emphasis on a more active approach to understanding the environment and ecology. Moss is very aware of the impact of farming on natural land, on the habitat(s) of wildlife, though he isn't about blaming the farmers. They have a job to do, a nation to feed, and a quota to meet to ensure profit. What Moss instead suggests is that environmentally friendly methods can be adopted by farmers, methods that wouldn't damage their profits too heavily, but would also ensure the survival of wildlife. He wants to work with the farmers, with the nation, and strive for mutual improvement.
For example, he suggests that space is the key. He draws on case studies, studies in which farmers have left hedgerows on their land and natural foliage on the outskirts. In these instances the population of wildlife has increased, insects have been attracted to the plant life and then predators have soon followed. This has increased sightings of rare birds on such land. Small, simple changes are, indeed, very effective. However, one oversight I noticed was a lack of consideration for farming more sustainable things. Improving the methods is always good, but if we can farm more productive alternatives then it would eliminate much of the problem.
If such ideas and responsible practices can be applied on a larger scale, to our forests, to our rivers and to the oceans, then there would be wider spread improvement. Wildlife numbers would increase. The real looming threat though is global climate change and its effect on the natural world. If this isn't addressed, then no minor improvements will have any effect. Moss rightfully recognises this, though it is not the focus of his book. The ideas he gives are changes that we can reach for on a societal level, ones that would install a sense of responsibility the globe needs to adopt. The writing is eloquent and highly detailed; it's the words of a man who loves the wildlife of Britain, and one who laments the fact that so much has been lost.
However, the most successful element of the writing is its power to debunk the myth that Britain's countryside is ripe and green. The reality of the situation is that it was once ripe and green, but our way of life has changed this greatly. Even now though there is a chance to change this. The book is rich in optimism, a hope that things can and will get better if we work for it. And therein is the rub: do we want it? Moss offers a compelling case for improvement, an excellent account that is both passionate and informed. It's hard not be convinced by the argument he offers.
-I received an advanced reading copy of this book from The Bookbag in exchange for an honest review, originally posted here.
May 21, 2017
Ever since William Blake wrote the words ‘Englands green & pleasant Land’ in 1804 it has always been considered one of the best descriptions of the British countryside. For millennia humans have been changing the landscape in this country and the wildlife co-existed with us and the habitats that were formed. Now days only green could be considered correct; decades of industrial farming has wreaked untold devastation amongst the wild creatures and flowers that had once made our countryside so pleasant. Headlines scream at us from the papers about how our native wildlife is in trouble and the facts about what has been happening are frankly terrifying.
In amongst the grim news, there have been some success stories, species have been dragged back from the very brink of extinction or have been part of successful introduction programmes; these should be celebrated for good reason. But while we have been concentrating on the rare and the spectacular, our once common animals, house sparrows and the hedgehog and others have suffered catastrophic falls in numbers. Moss decides to find out for himself just what the state of our nation's wildlife is. Starting with what is the largest land area in our country, farmlands, we go on a whistle-stop tour through our woods, seashores, and mountains. As wildlife is as much a part of the urban jungle nowadays, especially with the fox living off the waste that humans leave behind and peregrines hurling themselves from skyscrapers in the very centre of our capital.
The countryside is being exploited by self-appointed, minority-interest pressure groups whose claims to be the guardians of the countryside would be amusing, were the consequences not so serious.
This is another superb book from Moss, but more importantly is it timely too. The state of the wildlife in the country is at a tipping point after decades of pummelling from chemicals and dramatic loss of habitat. There have been some reintroductions of natives like beavers and the cleaning up of the rivers has seen the spectacular return of the otter that can be claimed as successes and there have been places where farmers and landowners have taken it upon themselves to re-wild the land which have proved successful. The points that he is fairly forcefully making are being echoed elsewhere too, most recently in Bee Quest by Dave Goulson and The Running Hare by John Lewis-Stempel, guys with their pulse of the countryside. This is a book to read if you care about the very future of our countryside and more importantly this should be a book that all politicians should be made to read.
In amongst the grim news, there have been some success stories, species have been dragged back from the very brink of extinction or have been part of successful introduction programmes; these should be celebrated for good reason. But while we have been concentrating on the rare and the spectacular, our once common animals, house sparrows and the hedgehog and others have suffered catastrophic falls in numbers. Moss decides to find out for himself just what the state of our nation's wildlife is. Starting with what is the largest land area in our country, farmlands, we go on a whistle-stop tour through our woods, seashores, and mountains. As wildlife is as much a part of the urban jungle nowadays, especially with the fox living off the waste that humans leave behind and peregrines hurling themselves from skyscrapers in the very centre of our capital.
The countryside is being exploited by self-appointed, minority-interest pressure groups whose claims to be the guardians of the countryside would be amusing, were the consequences not so serious.
This is another superb book from Moss, but more importantly is it timely too. The state of the wildlife in the country is at a tipping point after decades of pummelling from chemicals and dramatic loss of habitat. There have been some reintroductions of natives like beavers and the cleaning up of the rivers has seen the spectacular return of the otter that can be claimed as successes and there have been places where farmers and landowners have taken it upon themselves to re-wild the land which have proved successful. The points that he is fairly forcefully making are being echoed elsewhere too, most recently in Bee Quest by Dave Goulson and The Running Hare by John Lewis-Stempel, guys with their pulse of the countryside. This is a book to read if you care about the very future of our countryside and more importantly this should be a book that all politicians should be made to read.
November 18, 2025
Finish date: 07 January 2018
Genre: non-fiction (natural history)
Rating: A+
Review:
There is no pleasing those sparrows!
But anyone who has watched the behavior of birds
like me from my front room window knows
…that doing so is good for the soul.
Trivia: Short list The Wainwright Prize 2017
Trivia: pg 280 S. Moss cites that the Netherlands (my country!)
...as a prime example of creating a habitat of 22 sq miles
to bring back lost wildlife !!
"Oostvaardersplassen" near Lelystad, the Netherlands.
Ecologist Frans Vera wants the 56 square kilometres of
nature reserve to be made a Unesco world heritage site.
Last thoughts:
I really enjoyed this book because it made me aware of the wildlife.....that is disappearing. Wildlife.....that I don't take the time to appreciate! Walking along the fields I stop and stare at a hare hopping along or ...watch a coot family with their chicks in our canals. If you like birds and trees...look up ...if you like plants and insects...look down! But whatever you like... relax, meditate and #TakeAWalk in the countryside!
March 19, 2017
Time spent with nature is never wasted.
(A bit like time with a good book!).
For if we lose touch with nature, we will eventually lose touch with who we are.
You can tell from the title of this book that it is not for everyone. It very much focuses on Britain, so is really targeted at British wildlife/nature lovers. But then, I am one of those.
Stephen Moss examines a number of different natural environments found across the British Isles: "Farmland", "Woods & Forests", "Mountains & Moorlands", "Rivers & Streams", "Coast & Sea", "Towns, Cities and Gardens", "Other Artificial Habitats". In each case, he looks at the history of these environments, the current state and the potential future. The history tends, as it must, to focus on damage that has been done: we have not been good at looking after nature. The current state offers a mixture of hope and despondency. Undoubtedly, there are many exciting and potentially very productive initiatives underway across many different natural habitats. But there are also many, many areas where little is being done. The future could go either way. As a lover of nature, I know what I hope for, but it is a fragile balance.
And balance is one of the key themes of the book. One of Moss's recurring discussions is about achieving balance between man and nature. And he also is very keen to talk about the often unintended consequences of actions that disrupt the balance in ways that could hardly have been imagined at the time. Often, the effects take a long time to come into play. As an example, consider Britain after the Second World War and the push to provide sufficient, cheap food for the nation meant significant changes to farming practices. This pressure has continued and we, as a nation, have gone from spending something like one third of our income on food to something like one tenth (I may be exaggerating, but it is that order of magnitude). This is only possible because of mass production techniques that are very, very bad for nature and wildlife. Today, we are coming to realise that and we are seeing action to move in the opposite direction with many farmers introducing edges back to their fields where wildlife can thrive.
It's an interesting read with plenty of food for thought. I learned quite a few things as I read. If I hadn't recently read Simon Barnes' "The Meaning of Birds", I don't think I would have set the bar quite so high and might have ended up giving this a higher rating, but it doesn't have the same resonance and quality of writing as Barnes' book. But recommended reading for anyone with an interesting in British nature and wildlife.
(A bit like time with a good book!).
For if we lose touch with nature, we will eventually lose touch with who we are.
You can tell from the title of this book that it is not for everyone. It very much focuses on Britain, so is really targeted at British wildlife/nature lovers. But then, I am one of those.
Stephen Moss examines a number of different natural environments found across the British Isles: "Farmland", "Woods & Forests", "Mountains & Moorlands", "Rivers & Streams", "Coast & Sea", "Towns, Cities and Gardens", "Other Artificial Habitats". In each case, he looks at the history of these environments, the current state and the potential future. The history tends, as it must, to focus on damage that has been done: we have not been good at looking after nature. The current state offers a mixture of hope and despondency. Undoubtedly, there are many exciting and potentially very productive initiatives underway across many different natural habitats. But there are also many, many areas where little is being done. The future could go either way. As a lover of nature, I know what I hope for, but it is a fragile balance.
And balance is one of the key themes of the book. One of Moss's recurring discussions is about achieving balance between man and nature. And he also is very keen to talk about the often unintended consequences of actions that disrupt the balance in ways that could hardly have been imagined at the time. Often, the effects take a long time to come into play. As an example, consider Britain after the Second World War and the push to provide sufficient, cheap food for the nation meant significant changes to farming practices. This pressure has continued and we, as a nation, have gone from spending something like one third of our income on food to something like one tenth (I may be exaggerating, but it is that order of magnitude). This is only possible because of mass production techniques that are very, very bad for nature and wildlife. Today, we are coming to realise that and we are seeing action to move in the opposite direction with many farmers introducing edges back to their fields where wildlife can thrive.
It's an interesting read with plenty of food for thought. I learned quite a few things as I read. If I hadn't recently read Simon Barnes' "The Meaning of Birds", I don't think I would have set the bar quite so high and might have ended up giving this a higher rating, but it doesn't have the same resonance and quality of writing as Barnes' book. But recommended reading for anyone with an interesting in British nature and wildlife.
February 16, 2019
I read this slowly, a chapter at a time in between reading other books. It was a book designed to be read this way as each chapter will make you think deeply, then want to go off and find out more about that topic before moving on to something else. A well-researched and important book, acting as a call-to-arms before some of our most beloved wildlife is beyond saving. Brilliant introduction to rewilding and introduces debates about the introduction of foreign species and re-introduction of former species. Acts as both a warning about how much damage can be caused by humans and a reassurance that changes can be made to protect this precious wildlife. Fascinating read!
June 2, 2016
"The countryside is being exploited by self-appointed, minority-interest pressure groups whose claims to be the guardians of the countryside would be amusing, were the consequences not so serious."-Stephen Moss
An important book which looks at the threats faced by our wild creatures and the land in which we all live, the damage that has already been and is being done and what we need to do to make things better. Stephen Moss takes an unflinching look at the state of things and it isn't a pretty picture but he also gives some hope and with his obvious love and passion, which springs from every page, he make an convincing argument for as all to take up arms in the defence of our beautiful country and it's inhabitants. A book that is well worth reading.
An important book which looks at the threats faced by our wild creatures and the land in which we all live, the damage that has already been and is being done and what we need to do to make things better. Stephen Moss takes an unflinching look at the state of things and it isn't a pretty picture but he also gives some hope and with his obvious love and passion, which springs from every page, he make an convincing argument for as all to take up arms in the defence of our beautiful country and it's inhabitants. A book that is well worth reading.
July 11, 2021
A well written book about wildlife conservation in the UK, but for people already familiar with the topic it doesn't contain much they won't already know. Also it has the tendency to slip into preaching - presumably to the converted, since anyone reading this book must already be interested in wildlife and conservation.
June 15, 2017
I've followed Stephen Moss's writing with interest over the years, getting to know it first through his Guardian columns on birdwatching.
This book is about wildlife. About birds, certainly, but equally about all the other wild creatures - animals, invertebrates, fish and so on - which call Britain home. He examines all their possible habitats in turn: farmland, woodland, moorland, water and wetland, seaside, towns and cities. He discovers how our imperative to produce ever-increasing quantities of cheap food is destroying and impoverishing the habitats of so much wildlife: not just on farmland increasingly turned over to agri-business, but also on moorland, the sea, and wetlands. He illustrates his arguments not only by drawing on research and statistics, but with anecdote and personal stories.
This is a very thorough and convincing account of the perilous state that much of the wildlife we think of as part of our natural heritage is in. Though he's careful to point out that every creature, even if not cute and well-loved like the hedgehog and red squirrel, has a part to play in ensuring the health of some other creature in the food chain. And he writes too about success stories - the re-introduction of the red kite: the egrets which, now that our climate is generally warming, are making regular appearances on UK waterways are just two examples.
He writes this book as a warning, wanting everybody who reads it to become part of the fightback in a cause he regards as too important to lose. His style is informal, very easy to read. Even when he's making known the results of various studies, or sharing dismal statistics, the information is easy to absorb, and I continued to read with interest and attention.
Nevertheless, little of what he writes about here is unknown to the averagely well-informed and concerned reader. Though I really enjoyed reading this book, I'm not sure I learned a great deal that at some level I didn't already know about. I'd like to think that if I gave a copy to someone who doesn't yet think too hard about environmental matters, they'd find it an approachable and worthwhile read, and one which might change their viewpoint a little. I want this book to find a wide audience.
This book is about wildlife. About birds, certainly, but equally about all the other wild creatures - animals, invertebrates, fish and so on - which call Britain home. He examines all their possible habitats in turn: farmland, woodland, moorland, water and wetland, seaside, towns and cities. He discovers how our imperative to produce ever-increasing quantities of cheap food is destroying and impoverishing the habitats of so much wildlife: not just on farmland increasingly turned over to agri-business, but also on moorland, the sea, and wetlands. He illustrates his arguments not only by drawing on research and statistics, but with anecdote and personal stories.
This is a very thorough and convincing account of the perilous state that much of the wildlife we think of as part of our natural heritage is in. Though he's careful to point out that every creature, even if not cute and well-loved like the hedgehog and red squirrel, has a part to play in ensuring the health of some other creature in the food chain. And he writes too about success stories - the re-introduction of the red kite: the egrets which, now that our climate is generally warming, are making regular appearances on UK waterways are just two examples.
He writes this book as a warning, wanting everybody who reads it to become part of the fightback in a cause he regards as too important to lose. His style is informal, very easy to read. Even when he's making known the results of various studies, or sharing dismal statistics, the information is easy to absorb, and I continued to read with interest and attention.
Nevertheless, little of what he writes about here is unknown to the averagely well-informed and concerned reader. Though I really enjoyed reading this book, I'm not sure I learned a great deal that at some level I didn't already know about. I'd like to think that if I gave a copy to someone who doesn't yet think too hard about environmental matters, they'd find it an approachable and worthwhile read, and one which might change their viewpoint a little. I want this book to find a wide audience.
November 17, 2021
What a heartfelt journey exploring and meeting different animals from the Somerset Levels, to Newcastle upon River Tyne and the Fens of East Anglia, all in the comfort of my own home. It's been tremendously eye opening and interesting to know about so many species in the UK. Some are thriving in the most unexpected places, taking advantage of new opportunities for food and living space; while some are on the comeback, aided by human hands, and sees a hopeful future if habitats are maintained correctly; and some are on the decline, and it may seem hopeless to bring them back to their former glory.
It's really important to cherish and celebrate the wildlife we have, and endeavour to rescue the ones suffering as we try to satisfy the needs and demands of the growing population.
Nature is stronger and more resilient than we think. If we never let go of hope and give life a chance, it will thrive.
Even though I've changed my EPQ topic now, mainly focusing on urban animals in the UK and not wander off to the aspect of 'rewilding', I'm still so glad I read this book.
It's really important to cherish and celebrate the wildlife we have, and endeavour to rescue the ones suffering as we try to satisfy the needs and demands of the growing population.
Nature is stronger and more resilient than we think. If we never let go of hope and give life a chance, it will thrive.
Even though I've changed my EPQ topic now, mainly focusing on urban animals in the UK and not wander off to the aspect of 'rewilding', I'm still so glad I read this book.
January 2, 2020
A great overview of the current situation on British wildlife and how the situation has come about. It's a sad read in many places, but there are signs of hope too. An important subject that everyone should read about, and Moss writes in such a way that takes you right into the places he describes.
May 23, 2021
Informative on the UKs conservation past and impacts on the landscape & really well structured, though audience feels confused in some places, and eyebrows raised at some of the perspectives and language included.
May 29, 2017
Brilliant but depressing.
July 29, 2018
I loved this book. Shows what has been done to help Britain's wonderful wildlife and points out everything that still needs to be done ..... before it is too late!
February 16, 2020
Anyone interested in conservation
Another read that makes me hopeful for a future with more wildlife for everyone to enjoy. I will be visiting the places mentioned in this book!
Another read that makes me hopeful for a future with more wildlife for everyone to enjoy. I will be visiting the places mentioned in this book!
March 7, 2022
Depressing in parts and hopeful in others.
I don't share the hope though.
I don't share the hope though.
March 26, 2022
Depressing and hopeful in turn a book about how nature can return if given the chance.
August 18, 2022
A really interesting read. We really do need to think bigger with nature in Britain. Not just small patches, the whole country need to think about our wildlife.
February 8, 2023
It was a quite good book, but quite depressing in the middle of the book
November 3, 2016
I absolutely devoured this book. Stephen Moss doesn't sugarcoat the abhorrent state of Britain's beloved countryside and its wildlife (or lack of) as many of its self-appointed 'custodians' shamelessly do. He takes a justifiably polemic stance on the issues he addresses, slamming the picture-postcard image of the British countryside and its rolling hills and fields of green stretching as far as the eye can see as nothing more than a food factory shaped by the human hand, with nothing remotely 'natural' about it at all.
"This dazzling green is the colour of intensive farming" - Moss dispels the nationwide brain-washing that has occurred, whereby we tend to associate green with good; we have failed to identify that homogenised landscapes of varying monocultures are utterly adverse to an environment conducive to a thriving and diverse wildlife population, and in doing so condemned much of the county's native species. The fauna and flora of these islands are more impoverished than they ever have been and the culprit, for the most part, is increasing agricultural intensification.
"The countryside is being exploited by self-appointed, minority-interest pressure groups whose claims to be the guardians of the countryside would be amusing, were the consequences not so serious." - this particularly rings true when reflecting on the plight of a native raptor, the Hen Harrier, a legally protected species that is regularly being shot, trapped and poisoned to protect the sporting and economic interests of a small minority of people.
This is one of many issues Moss attacks and dismantles: the illusion that our 'countryside custodians' - I.e the Countryside Alliance and the NFU - have any interest whatsoever in preserving and protecting British wildlife. He also addresses 2015's absurd 'gullgate', but despite how it may seem, Wild Kingdom is not all doom and gloom. There is praise for the successful reintroduction of staple native species such as the Otter and the Red Kite; a reason for optimism and a strong indication that wildlife can thrive in these islands when given the chance to do so.
Ultimately, the book ends on a bittersweet note; there are mammoth tasks ahead, namely the implied restructuring of a broken and corrupt farming system marred by obscene taxpayer handouts (a system Moss aptly describes as a 'dependency culture') and the reshaping of public perception on a topic that does instils pride in the hearts of millions - the countryside, nature - but it is possible, as has been shown.
"Whether we live in the heart of a city or the remotest corner of our countryside, we all need wildlife to sustain and enrich our lives. For if we lose touch with nature, we will eventually lose touch with who we are". Hear, hear. Wild Kingdom is an indisputable must-read for those with an vested interest in Britain's wildlife. I tip my hat to Mr Moss for writing one of the best and arguably most important books of the year.
"This dazzling green is the colour of intensive farming" - Moss dispels the nationwide brain-washing that has occurred, whereby we tend to associate green with good; we have failed to identify that homogenised landscapes of varying monocultures are utterly adverse to an environment conducive to a thriving and diverse wildlife population, and in doing so condemned much of the county's native species. The fauna and flora of these islands are more impoverished than they ever have been and the culprit, for the most part, is increasing agricultural intensification.
"The countryside is being exploited by self-appointed, minority-interest pressure groups whose claims to be the guardians of the countryside would be amusing, were the consequences not so serious." - this particularly rings true when reflecting on the plight of a native raptor, the Hen Harrier, a legally protected species that is regularly being shot, trapped and poisoned to protect the sporting and economic interests of a small minority of people.
This is one of many issues Moss attacks and dismantles: the illusion that our 'countryside custodians' - I.e the Countryside Alliance and the NFU - have any interest whatsoever in preserving and protecting British wildlife. He also addresses 2015's absurd 'gullgate', but despite how it may seem, Wild Kingdom is not all doom and gloom. There is praise for the successful reintroduction of staple native species such as the Otter and the Red Kite; a reason for optimism and a strong indication that wildlife can thrive in these islands when given the chance to do so.
Ultimately, the book ends on a bittersweet note; there are mammoth tasks ahead, namely the implied restructuring of a broken and corrupt farming system marred by obscene taxpayer handouts (a system Moss aptly describes as a 'dependency culture') and the reshaping of public perception on a topic that does instils pride in the hearts of millions - the countryside, nature - but it is possible, as has been shown.
"Whether we live in the heart of a city or the remotest corner of our countryside, we all need wildlife to sustain and enrich our lives. For if we lose touch with nature, we will eventually lose touch with who we are". Hear, hear. Wild Kingdom is an indisputable must-read for those with an vested interest in Britain's wildlife. I tip my hat to Mr Moss for writing one of the best and arguably most important books of the year.
January 27, 2019
I enjoyed this. It's nice to read a book about UK wildlife that is informative, and with a broadly positive message. It contains a wealth of examples of how people could help reverse nature's decline. But also Moss recognises that there's more to conservation than just jumping o the rewilding bandwagon.
May 16, 2024
I really enjoyed reading this book. It offers an excellent insight into how over the ages and years we've exploited our land with devastating effects on nature. It's quite depressing in places with so many species struggling to adjust to our modern world in which we've destroyed their habitat with a few success stories and hope for the future.
Read
July 11, 2016Really good, only wish he'd included a bibliography/further reading section at the back. Pictures of the birds and animals he talks about would have been nice, particularly as I didn't have any internet to Google them when I was reading the book on the train.
Read
September 5, 2017I enjoyed how this book taught me lots about the state of British wildlife. I learned about all sorts of creatures --kittiwakes and water voles--I had never heard of before. I learned that the removal of hedgerows has made many farm fields less inviting for wildlife than brownfield sites. While I had heard that hedgehogs were struggling, I had no idea that sparrows was suffering, too. My favorite section was chapter seven, "The Accidental Countryside: Other Artificial Habitats."
Unfortunately, I had reservations about Stephen Moss' writing style. He is clearly passionate about the subject, but his emotion led him to make sentences that didn't follow. For instance, on page 143, he refers to mink coats as "one of the first examples of a term coined earlier in the twentieth century to describe the ostentatious public display of wealth: 'conspicuous consumption.' " Poppycock. The phrase may be new, but there has been conspicuous consumption for as long as there have been civilizations and monetary systems. I also didn't appreciate the phrase "women with more money than sense" on the next page. It felt ugly. The book was full of these off moments which pulled me out of the book. I do not recommend this book to mathematicians.
Unfortunately, I had reservations about Stephen Moss' writing style. He is clearly passionate about the subject, but his emotion led him to make sentences that didn't follow. For instance, on page 143, he refers to mink coats as "one of the first examples of a term coined earlier in the twentieth century to describe the ostentatious public display of wealth: 'conspicuous consumption.' " Poppycock. The phrase may be new, but there has been conspicuous consumption for as long as there have been civilizations and monetary systems. I also didn't appreciate the phrase "women with more money than sense" on the next page. It felt ugly. The book was full of these off moments which pulled me out of the book. I do not recommend this book to mathematicians.
May 25, 2018
This was a really interesting read. The author's love of wildlife really shone through and his passion for saving our native animals and their habitats was catching. I discovered the historic reasons for the destruction of wildlife habitats that I had never thought about and was inspired to look a bit closer when I am out and about.
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