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THE white-clawed crayfish is one of the country’s most threatened native wildlife species but in Suffolk (and soon in Norfolk and Essex) the Environment Agency with its partners is setting up safe havens (arks) for them where they can live and breed naturally.
Working with Suffolk Wildlife Trust, the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) and Suffolk Biodiversity Partnership the future of the Suffolk white-claw crayfish is looking up after two years of protection.
After the first ark was deemed a success, a second was established in Suffolk in 2010 and more potential sites are now being investigated in Norfolk and Essex.
American signal crayfish are listed by the Environment Agency in its 10 most wanted list of non-native invaders – the plants and animals that are threatening to take over Britain’s waterways.
As well as out-competing the natives for food and other resources, they carry a disease called crayfish plague which does not affect them but which is lethal to the white-claws. It has wiped them out from whole river systems in a matter of weeks - the latest one in the Chad Brook, Suffolk.
The white-claws, looking like miniature lobsters, used to be widespread in Britain’s rivers and it is hoped that in time transferred animals will breed and grow into healthy populations again and the fascinating creatures will be saved from extinction.
In September there are plans to transfer some of the small creatures to safety in Norfolk and Essex while monitoring continues in the two existing sites and the Agency is always keen to hear from anyone
who has a large pond, lake or gravel pit which they would like to be considered as an ark site.
Julia Stansfield from the Environment Agency said: “It feels really good to be doing something positive for native crayfish. Sitting back and watching them gradually disappear is so depressing. Maybe in time a way will be found, such as biological control, to eradicate the invaders and then white-claws may again take their place in our rivers.
“In the sad tale of steady losses of native crayfish populations, these dynamic partnership projects are a welcome bit of good news. With continued efforts, we may just be able to save this unique species from extinction in the East of England.”
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