Endangered white-clawed crayfish offered recovery lifeline

Conservations bodies across the north of England are collaborating to prevent the UK's only native freshwater crayfish disappearing from streams and rivers.

White-clawed crayfish were once common but populations have declined by an estimated 70-80% in recent decades due to pollution, habitat loss, and the spread of invasive non-native species.

The project will utilise local knowledge, practical conservation skills, and scientific expertise to identify where populations are most at risk, and long-term refuge sites that could help secure their future.