Rare species found around Maidstone
February 17, 2012: Three female smews (duck) were found in Mote Park, despite their main breeding grounds being in Finland and northern Russia. Estimates at the time suggested there are only 380 in the UK. June 29, 2007: An albino squirrel, with pink eyes, is spotted outside the St Simon Stock School and Oakwood Park Grammar School. October 4, 2002: World’s largest population of depressed river mussel discovered by scientists in the River Medway at Yalding. They are so named for their flat shell, and have a large, fleshy ‘foot’ used to dig into sediment. 1949: Wouldham residents find a narwhal in the river. Kent Messenger reader, Ronald B Haynes, contacted the British Museum about the find and eventually the 13ft 1in skeleton was taken by train to London.