Grandtully and Strathtay - Bio-diversity

Strathtay has a huge variety of wildlife. The village sits along The River Tay and has 5 burns flowing from the hills into the Tay. Deciduous and evergreen woodlands provide tree corridors along the burns, fields and along garden boundaries to provide cover for the wildlife. Ancient woodlands between and at edges of fields add to this protection.

Strathtay is fortunate enough to have half of the UK's Terrestrial mammals priority species living in the village. Hedgehog, Wildcat, Brown Hare, Otter, Pine Marten, Pole Cat, Soprano Pipistrelle Bats, Brown Long-eared Bats and Red squirrels have all been recorded in the village. Red squirrels are a familiar site in the village during the day and bats are often seen at night. One local resident has recorded mammals and birds in the village over many years and also lists Mole, Daubenton's bat, Field Vole, Wood Mouse, House mouse, Stoat, Weasel, Mink, Fox and Roe deer. He has recorded seventy three bird species seen in his garden.

More information on our local biodiversity can be found at Tayside Biodiversity Partnership and Biodiversity Scotland.

Mel Tonkin at Scottish Wildlife Trust is carrying out a Scottish Red squirrel survey. You can help her by recording sightings of squirrels seen in the village at Scottish Red Squirrel Survey .There have been no grey squirrels recorded to date in Strathtay Village itself but it is understood they are not far away. If a grey squirrel is seen in the village please contact Jeannie Grant, P&K Countryside Ranger on 01887 820297 or at JGrant@pkc.gov.uk. In addition Jeannie is monitoring squirrels killed on the roads, so please contact her with a place and time if you come across a dead squirrel. The local squirrel group is the Perth & Kinross Squirrel Group. You can help them by becoming a member.

Of the 9 bat species resident in Scotland, 6 have been recorded in and around Strathtay Village. These include the brown long-eared bat and Daubenton's bat. The village is a highly suitable habitat for bats due to its closeness to the River Tay and the nearby open broad leafed woodlands. Bats are a European protected specie and their roosts are specially protected under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. Advice on what to do if you come across bats at home can be found at The Bat Conservation Trust including details of membership.

Grandtully and Strathtay Conservation Trust are members of The Community Woodlands Association.