© Chris Robinson 2008
I’m truly sorry Man’s dominion
Has broken Nature’s social union,
An’ justifies that ill opinion,
Which makes thee startle,
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,
An’ fellow-mortal!
(ROBERT BURNS To a Mouse)
Scotland is fortunate in that it provides a variety of habitats. There are rich arable lands, deciduous woodlands and pine forests, bleak bare mountains, lochs, tumbling streams and great rivers with wide shallow estuaries, peat bogs and cliffs, rocky and sandy coasts. Much of the land is still only sparsely inhabited, leaving undisturbed sites for some of the rarer species. This allows the country to support a great range of wildlife, some of which is absent from the rest of the UK. However, many of these environments are fragile, and the encroachment of man and domestic animals is an ever-present danger. Because it is sometimes difficult to draw the line between truly wild animals and feral animals, and because the land is often shared, some domestic and farmed animals and birds are included in this collection of wildlife words.
Scotland can be proud of her conservation record. One of the first Scots who understood the importance of conservation was John Muir, the pioneer of National Parks in the USA. Now there is a John Muir Country Park near his birthplace in Dunbar and the John Muir Trust undertakes a tremendous range of projects throughout the country.
This little book brings together many of the creatures that have inhabited Scotland. Some are no longer found within these shores and some of their names are dying out, for the language too is a living entity in danger and in need of conservation. Dictionaries of the Scots Language are leaders in the conservation of the Scots Language. That said, Scots is still a vibrant and colourful language in which the wonders of nature, its lore and its legends can still be told.
I hope this little ramble through the Scottish countryside will inspire you to get out and about armed with binoculars and perhaps a magnifying glass – certainly with plenty of midge repellent. If you attempt any of the animal-based medicinal remedies suggested in this book, we absolutely deny any responsibility for such rash action on your part. All sightings of Nessie should be reported to the proper authorities.