Project to help restore native crayfish population

Wildwood Trust said it aimed to restore population numbers of the endangered white-clawed crayfish

A British wildlife conservation charity has been granted more than £10,000 to establish a white-clawed crayfish hatchery and nursery.

Wildwood Trust, based at the wildlife park Wildwood Devon in Ottery St Mary, was given the money by the Devon Environment Foundation.

The trust said it aimed to restore numbers of the endangered white-clawed crayfish.

The species has declined by nearly 80% in the South West in 50 years.

Charly Mead, conservation manager at Wildwood Devon, said it could prevent the species, which is the UK's only indigenous freshwater crayfish, from going extinct.

She said: "White-clawed crayfish play a pivotal role in cleaning and restoring parts of our riverways.

"Without intervention, they could go extinct in the near future.

"Our hatchery will allow young crayfish to be raised in a safe environment until they are ready to be moved to protected areas with a fighting chance of survival."

The funds will be used to trial a 12-week programme to repurpose some unused purpose-built koi tanks.

The hatchery is expected to support up to 500 viable crayfish for release each year.

Crayfish will be released to safe "ark" sites, where new populations can be established, safe from threats; and into the River Creedy to be monitored as part of the Creedy Catchment Crayfish project.