Project Spotlight: Crayfish in Crisis

Project Spotlight: Crayfish in Crisis

Posted on 4 December 2017

Next up in our Project Spotlight series is Crayfish in Crisis:

While it may seem small to us the White Clawed Crayfish is one of the UK’s largest freshwater invertebrates and is an important part of our water systems. This often invisible and largely defenseless species is globally endangered due to non-native competitors joining the pool and widespread habitat loss.

As pressure mounts on native crayfish they have started to isolate themselves in small headwaters and in still ponds where they are slightly more protected from the North American Signal crayfish and the crayfish plague it spreads. These small endangered creatures need our help and the South West Peak Landscape Partnership and the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust (working with the Environment Agency, the Forestry Commission and the Staffordshire County Council) have a plan.

The South West Peak is an ideal location for the crayfish to recover their numbers. The area has numerous isolated streams and ponds dotting the landscape where crayfish can take refuge and ensure their survival long into the future.

With the leadership of Nick Mott from the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, this project will survey and monitor crayfish populations and try to find the best locations for White-Clawed Crayfish to call home. When these idyllic locations  are identified the project will provide first-class transportation for the crayfish to migrate into these new homes and thrive. The goal is to eventually establish a new permanent and stable population in the South West Peak.