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Wildlife

Survey reports      Wildlife film      Conservation Management Plan


The chalk stream characteristics of the Itchen Navigation provide a habitat for a huge variety of wildlife, including many rare species. The popular favourites - otters, water voles, kingfishers and butterflies are all found on the Navigation, along with less well known species such as the brook lamprey and the southern damselfly. 

Summer Secrets of the Itchen Navigation - a 10 minute film made by Matthew Hamilton which highlights some of the wonders of the river including water vole, mayfly, kingfisher and grey wagtail. Matt Hamilton featured on Springwatch with his film footage.

 

The Itchen Navigation forms part of the River Itchen Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the EU Habitats Directive. This offers it the highest form of protection for wildlife in the UK. European protected species found in the Itchen Navigation include southern damselfly, otter, brook lamprey, bullhead and atlantic salmon. The area is also protected under UK legislation: it is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

You can read more about the Itchen Navigation's wildlife and conservation plans in the following reports:

2011 survey reports
Public feedback questionnaire results

2010 survey reports
Bat Report 2010  
Bird Report 2010  
Butterfly, Damselfly and Dragonfly Report 2010  
Otter Report 2010 
Water Vole Report 2010 (6MB)   Apendix 1 and 2  (1MB)   Apendix 3  (7MB)

 2009 Survey Reports
Environment Agency Fisheries Monitoring Report 2009 (4MB)  
Bat Report 2009 
Bird Report 2009 
Butterfly, Damselfly and Dragonfly Report 2009
Otter Report 2009
Water Vole Report 2009  (6MB)   Appendix 2         Appendix 3

2008 Survey Reports
Dog Walker Study 2008
Environment Agency Fisheries Monitoring Report 2008 (large file 7MB)  
Bat Report 2008
Bird Report 2008
Butterfly, Damselfly and Dragonfly Report 2008
Otter Report 2008
Water Vole Report 2008 

2006 Survey Reports
Bat Report 2006
Bird Report 2006
Water Vole Report 2006 
Otter Report 2006
Butterfly and Dragonfly Report 2006

Conservation Management Plan