Wildlife Trust to aid breeding of endangered white-clawed crayfish

March 1, 2013 - PRLog -- Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and the Bristol Conservation and Science Foundation have brought 8 egg bearing (berried) female white-clawed crayfish into Bristol Zoo; eggs carried by the females will be hatched and reared in order to help enhance the status of this very rare species in Hampshire. The females were taken from the River Itchen, which is home to the last remaining population of white-clawed crayfish in Hampshire, and they and their offspring will then be released back into the wild.

White-clawed crayfish are the only species of crayfish native to the UK, and became classified as Globally Endangered in 2010 (IUCN). Up to 95% of white-clawed crayfish populations in the UK have been lost, and the species may become at risk of extinction in the next 20 - 30 years.

One of the main threats to white-clawed crayfish is the disease crayfish plague. Carried by North American signal crayfish, the disease is rarely harmful to signals; however, it is lethal to white-clawed crayfish and can wipe out entire populations in a matter of weeks. Crayfish plague can potentially attach onto anything it comes in contact with, and so is easily spread on fishing equipment, boots, boats and fish stock.

A Defra led campaign has been launched to encourage the public to ‘Check, Clean and Dry’ their boots and equipment after working or walking in or near rivers, in order to help prevent this deadly disease from spreading.

Jen Nightingale, The Bristol Conservation & Science Foundation's UK Conservation Manager says ‘The River Itchen is home to the last remaining population of crayfish in Hampshire, with an estimated population of only 2000 animals. The Heritage Lottery Funded Crayfish in Crisis project is excited to be collaborating with the Southern Chalkstreams Project, combining practical conservation with captive breeding techniques to preserve this valuable population for the future.’

Dr Ben Rushbrook, Southern Chalkstreams Project Officer at the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust says, ‘For over two decades a number of organisations have been working tirelessly to preserve the white-clawed crayfish on the River Itchen. By taking the berried females into Bristol Zoo’s captive breeding programme, we can increase the numbers of eggs that survive to one year old juveniles. The females will be returned to the wild this year, followed by the juvenile crayfish in 2014. This project represents a very important step forward in increasing the likelihood of ensuring the long-term survival of this species in Hampshire.’

For more information about the white-clawed crayfish conservation in Hampshire, please contact Dr Ben Rushbrook, Southern Chalkstreams Project on benr@hwt.org.uk , 01489 774400 or visit the website:

http://www.hiwwt.org.uk/pages/living_landscap-southern-chalkstreams-project-1164.html