A CITY wildlife sanctuary which is home to an array of rare creatures is hosting an open day for the public.

Visitors to the Red Moss of Balerno, which is the city's only raised bog, will be met by experts revealing the secrets behind the peatland habitat.


They will be able to take part in activities from pond-dipping to guided walks to a wildlife quiz. Red Moss is largely composed of peat which has built up over thousands of years and was originally the bed of a shallow loch that existed in the Ice Age.

Dragonflies, frogs, toads, owls and roe deer are among its inhabitants, as well as six types of sphagnum mosses and rare moths.

Alan Anderson, conservation manager for the Scottish Wildlife Trust, said: "Peatlands or bogs are very special and can tell us so much about the climate and conditions thousands of years ago."

The event will take place on July 24 from 12pm to 5pm. Admission to the open day is free, but contributions will be welcomed.