White-clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) are Britain’s only native crayfish species. Their population has drastically declined in recent years due to the introduction of non-native crayfish species, habitat destruction and pollution. Now, catastrophe has struck in one of their last remaining strongholds – Northumberland.
At least one hundred individuals, with peculiar orange patches on their shells, have been found dead in the River Wansbeck’s catchment area.
The BBC reports an artificial intelligence (AI) tool which has been trained to tell the difference between grey and red squirrels could be “an absolute game changer”, conservationists say.
The system, called Squirrel Agent, has been trained on thousands of images of the animals allowing it to tell them apart with 97% accuracy, its developer says.
It can then be used to automatically control access to squirrel feeders – with only reds being allowed into those containing food, and only greys into those where food has been replaced with contraceptive paste.
Wildlife and Countryside Link‘s new wildlife crime report has found that reports of wildlife crime levels have remained stubbornly high since a surge during the Covid-19 pandemic, with 4,735 incidents reported in 2023. There were increased instances of persecution, harm or death being reported for badgers, bats and marine mammals in 2023. Yet convictions for wildlife crime remain shockingly few, with numbers at an all-time low when looking at all types of wildlife crime the report collects data on.
The Wildlife Trusts report that a group of UK nature charities have written to Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP and Rt Hon Steve Reed OBE MP calling for action to protect the UK’s chalk streams in planning reforms.
The letter is headed by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and signed by various river, water and wildlife charities including The Rivers Trust, Angling Trust, River Action, Wild Trout Trust and The Wildlife Trusts. The letter leads on from the March for Clean Water earlier this month, when over 15,000 people including charities, campaigners and celebrities gathered in London calling for Government action to improve the health of rivers, lakes and seas.
The charities writing today urge the UK Government to integrate enhanced protections for chalk streams into reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). During the Government’s consultation on proposed changes to the NPPF (30th July – 24th September), more than 700 people urged action on protecting chalk streams.
The Guardian reports red squirrels will soon disappear from England unless the government funds a vaccine against squirrelpox, one of the biggest groups set up to protect the species has warned.
Conservationists say the English population of non-native grey squirrels has exploded this year, triggered by warmer winters which enable mating pairs to feed and breed all year round, and estimate that 70% are carrying squirrelpox, a virus which is lethal only to red squirrels.
The Guardian reports all bird species have declined in number, after suffering habitat loss, pesticide use, climate breakdown and bird flu.
Wild bird numbers in the UK are continuing to fall despite government promises to halt nature decline by 2030.
Data released by the government on Tuesday shows that over the past five years, all bird species have faced population decline after suffering from habitat loss, pesticide use, climate breakdown and bird flu. Overall, bird species have declined in number UK-wide by 2% and in England by 7% in the five years since 2018.
The BBC reports thousands of “giant spiders” which were released into the wild by a zoo are thriving in the wild and have had a record mating season, conservationists have said.
Chester Zoo released the spiders a decade ago as part of a project with the RSPB which aimed to save the species from extinction.
More than 10,000 breeding female Fen Raft spiders have been recorded this year, with zoo bosses hailing the breeding programme “a success”.
Redwings and Fieldfares are both species of thrush and in this feature, the RSPB takes a look at these and other thrushes that are found in the UK. Read to find out more about this fascinating family of birds and for ID tips.
The BBC reports environmental groups have warned that work to boost biodiversity across the UK countryside will be put at risk by the government’s decision to freeze the level of payments to farms in England.
Farmers – already angry at changes to inheritance tax rules announced in the Budget – have been told payments from the public purse will be frozen next year.
The Wildlife Trusts say the decision leaves a “monumental gap” between current environmental land management scheme (Elms) funding and what is needed to help farmers protect and boost wildlife and its habitats, while still producing food.
The Evening Standard reports the Environment Department published criteria for what can count towards a global target to protect 30% of land by 2030.
Just 7% of England is currently protected for nature, the Government has said, as it set out rules to help meet a global goal to protect 30% of land by 2030.
Officials said protected landscapes such as national parks, will deliver the “backbone” of areas conserved for nature, though they currently do not count towards the total, and the target could also include areas of nature-friendly farming.