There is nothing like unwrapping a pair of lovely socks on Christmas day… or is there? This year, The Wildlife Trusts bring you some Christmas gift ideas with a difference.

Unwanted Christmas gifts are a waste of resources and generate masses of landfill – besides the disappointment they can bring! Imagine giving a gift which actually benefits wildlife and the environment. The Wildlife Trusts offer a number of ‘adopt - or sponsor - a species’ schemes that offer just that. From pick ‘n’ mix sheep to sponsoring a snake, the options are endless:

• ‘Tis the season to be woolly!

Sheep graze on a number of The Wildlife Trusts' grassland reserves.  These woolly wonders play a vital role in managing the land, by allowing a variety of grasses and wildflowers to flourish.  ‘Adopt a sheep' schemes fund feeding, visits to the vet, and shearing too. 

Adopt a sheep with Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, which offers a ‘pick ‘n' mix sheep' scheme.  Visit www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk or call 01773 881188 to find out more.

Suffolk Wildlife Trust offers ‘support a sandlings sheep'. Find out more at www.suffolkwildlife.co.uk or call 01473 890089. 

• Hoppy Christmas

Norfolk Wildlife Trust's Reserve Weeting Heath is a rabbit stronghold.  They are extremely important to the reserve, as their constant grass trimming keeps the environment suitable for stone curlew to nest.  Adopt a rabbit by visiting www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk or calling 01603 625540 and you will also receive a cuddly toy.

Less plentiful in the wild than rabbits, brown hare numbers are declining nationally.  You can adopt a brown hare with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust (www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk or 01452 383333), BCNP Wildlife Trust (www.wildlifebcnp.org or 01954 713500) and Worcestershire Wildlife Trust (www.worcswildlife.co.uk or 01905 754919).

• Great crested greetings

Great crested newts are under serious threat due to habitat destruction. Nurture a newt with Suffolk Wildlife Trust by visiting www.suffolkwildlife.co.uk or calling 01473 890089. You can adopt one with Northumberland Wildlife Trust too - visit www.nwt.org.uk or call 0191 284 6884. These miniature dragons are well worth the gesture.

• A snipe in the stocking!

Adopting a snipe makes a great gift for fans of wading birds. Warwickshire Wildlife Trust offers this scheme (www.warwickshire-wildlife-trust.org.uk or 02476 302912).

• Send a kingfisher

Colourful kingfishers are another bird species you can help this Christmas.  Give someone kingfisher sponsorship with Kent Wildlife Trust - www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk or call 01622 662012. 

• Wrap up a ratty

Inspiration for The Wind in the Willows much-loved character ‘Ratty', water voles are another treasured native mammal which has suffered a sad decline, due to loss of habitat and predation.  Adopting a water vole can help restore river habitat, and fund other vital conservation schemes. Get in touch with one of these Local Wildlife Trusts to find out more:

·         Warwickshire Wildlife Trust - www.warwickshire-wildlife-trust.org.uk or 02476 302912

·         Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust - www.hwt.org.uk or 01489 774400

·         Suffolk Wildlife Trust - www.suffolkwildlife.co.uk or 01473 890089

·         BCNP Wildlife Trust - www.wildlifebcnp.org or 01954 713500

·         Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust - www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk or 01452 383333

·         Worcestershire Wildlife Trust - www.worcswildlife.co.uk or 01905754919

• Creepy Crawly Christmas

If you are Christmas shopping for a bug-lover, why not adopt a stag beetle for them, with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk or call 01452 383333.

Stag beetles have become very rare in the county, and Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust aims to raise awareness of how people can create habitats for them in their own back garden.

You can also sponsor a stag beetle with Worcestershire Wildlife trust - www.worcswildlife.co.uk or 01905 754919.

A more slithery species to sponsor would be the smooth snake, an extremely rare reptile found only on the heaths of Hampshire, Surrey and Dorset. Sponsor a smooth snake with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust (visit www.hwt.org.uk or call 01489 774400) and help the Trust manage the snake's heathland habitat.

• Present a pony

A herd of ponies is always a dazzling sight, and they are great for grazing and maintaining Wildlife Trust reserves too.  You can sponsor an Exmoor Pony with Kent Wildlife Trust - visit www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk or call 01622 662012.

Or help fund care for the Polish konik herd, which maintains Suffolk Wildlife Trust's fens and wetlands. Visit www.suffolkwildlife.co.uk or call 01473 890089 to find out how.  

• Happy herd

Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust could not do without its trusty herds of rare breed cattle. These brilliant bovines keep many of the Trust's reserves healthy and you can sponsor a cow for just £20. To find out more visit www.lrwt.org.uk or call 0116 272 0444.

• Hooting for help

Owls are graceful, mysterious, beautiful and, unfortunately, threatened in the UK.  Barn owls in particular have suffered declines due to changing farming practices across the UK.  Various Wildlife Trusts are working to help owls, from putting up nest boxes to consulting with farmers.

Give barn owls a helping hand by visiting Suffolk Wildlife Trust's website www.suffolkwildlife.co.uk or call 01473 890089.

Warwickshire Wildlife Trust (visit www.warwickshire-wildlife-trust.org.uk or 02476 302912), BCNP Wildlife Trust (www.wildlifebcnp.org or 01954 713500), Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust (www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk or 01452 383333), Gwent Wildlife Trust (www.gwentwildlife.org or 01600 740358), Cumbria Wildlife Trust (www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk or 01539 816300), and Worcestershire Wildlife Trust (www.worcswildlife.co.uk or 01905 754919) also run barn owl adoption schemes.

• Otter-ly outstanding

Otter numbers have begun to make a recovery in the UK in recent years, so it is important for The Wildlife Trusts to ensure this recovery continues.  Adopting an otter will help to fund their work, and is a great way to show support for this playful species. 

You can adopt an otter with:

·         Warwickshire Wildlife Trust - www.warwickshire-wildlife-trust.org.uk or 02476 302912 

·         BCNP Wildlife Trust  - www.wildlifebcnp.org or 01954 713500

·         Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust -  www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk or 01452 383333

·         Northumberland Wildlife Trust - www.nwt.org.uk or 0191 284 6884

·         Worcestershire Wildlife Trust - www.worcswildlife.co.uk or call 01905 754919

• Sponsor a squirrel

Red squirrels have a hard time surviving in the UK, mainly due to competition with their grey counterparts.  Sponsor a red squirrel with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, and help keep their numbers up.  Visit www.hwt.org.uk or call 01489 774400 for more information.

You can also adopt a red squirrel with:

• Dorset Wildlife Trust: www.dorsetwildlife.co.uk or call 01305 264620
• Northumberland Wildlife Trust: www.nwt.org.uk or call 0191 284 6884

• Barbastelle bat

Give one of these barmy bats a boost by adopting one this Christmas.  BCNP Wildlife Trust offers adoption for just £10. See www.wildlifebcnp.org or call 01954 713500 to find out more.

• Save our seals

Wild seals are a delight to behold, but work is needed to ensure their future success. Local Wildlife Trusts need to know more about their movements and feeding grounds in order to provide protection. 

To adopt a wild Cornish seal visit www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk or call 01872 273939.

To sponsor a common seal from Chichester harbour with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife call 01489 774400 or visit www.hwt.org.uk.

• Dormice in danger

Dormice are the ultimate cute creature - tiny and delicate, they are one of the UK's gems.  Sadly, over the past 100 years dormice have become extinct across half their range in England.  Local Wildlife Trusts are now working to monitor dormouse numbers, and preserve their habitats to stop numbers falling further.  There are many Wildlife Trusts which offer the opportunity to help protect dormice through adoption schemes - and some throw in a soft toy too!

If you want to help give these amazing mammals a fighting chance, get in touch with one of the following Trusts:

• Surrey Wildlife Trust -  www.surreywildlifetrust.co.uk or 01483 795440

• Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust - www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk or 01452 383333
• Warwickshire Wildlife Trust - www.warwickshire-wildlife-trust.org.uk or 02476 302912
• Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust www.hwt.org.uk or 01489 774400
• Suffolk Wildlife Trust - www.suffolkwildlife.co.uk or 01473 890089
• Cheshire Wildlife Trust - www.cheshirewildlifetrust.co.uk  or 01948 820728
• Wildlife Trust for Beds, Cambs, Northants and Peterborough (BCNP) - www.wildlifebcnp.org  or 01954 713500
• Gwent Wildlife Trust - www.gwentwildlife.org or 01600 740358
• Worcestershire Wildlife Trust - www.worcswildlife.co.uk  or 01905 754919 
• Dorset Wildlife Trust - www.dorsetwildlife.co.uk or 01305 264620
• Northumberland Wildlife Trust - www.nwt.org.uk or 0191 284 6884

• Help the hogs

Adopt a hedgehog with Cumbria Wildlife Trust to support this struggling mammal.  Visit www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk or call 01539 816300 to find out how to do it.

• Enrich the environment

Sponsoring the environment benefits habitats and, therefore, species.  For example sponsoring a heathland benefits lizards, snakes, plus more.  Here are some examples:

• Sponsor a tree in the Cheshire Life orchard.  This orchard has existed since the 1300s and needs help as its trees dwindle.  Go to www.cheshirewildlifetrust.co.uk or call 01948 820728 for more information.
• Dedicate an ancient oak or spry sapling to someone this Christmas.  The trees come from Spong Wood in Kent Wildlife Trust, which is rich in species. Visit www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk or call 01622 662012 to find out more.
•  Become a ‘wildlife landlord' by sponsoring space for wildlife in Wyeswood Common nature reserve at Penalt.  Gwent Wildlife Trust - www.gwentwildlife.org or 01600 740358
• Sponsor a wildflower meadow with Suffolk Wildlife Trust - www.suffolkwildlife.co.uk or 01473 890089.
• Purchase a piece of peat bog for somebody with Cumbria Wildlife Trust. Visit www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk or call 01539 816300 to find out more. 

• Sponsor a musk orchid, heathland, ancient woodland or wildflower meadow with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. Plants, trees and animals alike can benefit from these schemes. Visit www.hwt.org.uk or call 01489 774400 for more information.

There are so many ways you can use your gift to help wildlife this Christmas. If you need to find out more visit www.wildlifetrusts.org.