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Factual: Science & Nature: Nature & Environment

Countryside magazine featuring the people and wildlife that shape the landscape of Britain

Countryside magazine featuring the people and wildlife that shape the landscape of the British Isles

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Open Country: Rutland Water: What lies beneath?

Rutland Water: What lies beneath?

BBC Radio 4 - Open Country, Rutland Water: What lies beneath?

Rutland Water is a reservoir with a prehistoric past life, as Helen Mark discovers.

The recent discovery of prehistoric fossils at Rutland Water includes the biggest Ichthyosaur found in the UK. Helen Mark finds out what else this reservoir is hiding.

Rutland Water is home to a rich array of wildlife, including osprey, but beneath the water there may be much more natural history to discover. Last year Joe Davis found the largest and most complete Ichthyosaur skeleton yet seen in the UK. This inland reservoir was once a tropical ocean and there may be many more fossilised remains that remain beneath the water. In fact, there was a recent discovery of the fossilised jaw of a Jurassic crocodile-like creature.

Today the habitat around the reservoir provides a perfect home for waders and wildfowl, as well as sand martins and other birds. Helen Mark discovers how this watery world also hides the most fascinating aquatic insects. Once the reservoir was hated by locals who lost their land and homes, but today it provides the perfect setting to make the most of our natural world and understand more about both the wildlife of today and the creatures that swam here millions of years ago.

Presented by Helen Mark. Produced by Helen Lennard and Perminder Khatkar.

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

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