Devon Conservationists Reintroduce Endangered Crayfish to Secure Habitat

In a significant conservation effort, a wildlife charity in Devon has reintroduced endangered white-clawed crayfish into a purpose-built pond. Wildwood Devon, a wildlife park based in Ottery St Mary, announced that they have released 37 of the crayfish into a secure habitat at their facility.

According to Charly Mead, the education and conservation officer at Wildwood Devon, the white-clawed crayfish is a critically endangered species, with only two known surviving populations left in the county. The crayfish were rescued two years ago and have now been moved into the specially created site, which provides the ideal environmental conditions for the species to "survive and thrive."

The charity emphasized the crucial role these crayfish play in the ecosystem, describing them as "mini eco-engineers" that clean up rivers and serve as a major food source for other wildlife. Mead explained that the site was carefully prepared to ensure the perfect temperature, water quality, and abundance of insect life to support the crayfish.

As part of its mission to reverse the decline of the white-clawed crayfish, the charity has surveyed local rivers and rescued surviving individuals, which were then transferred to a specialist hatchery. In 2024, successful mating was recorded in 61 crayfish from these rescued populations, paving the way for their reintroduction into the secure habitat at Wildwood Devon.

This conservation effort aims to safeguard the future of the white-clawed crayfish, a species that is listed as endangered on the global IUCN red list due to the threat posed by the invasive American signal crayfish.