Category Archives: Extinction
Importation of Ash trees is now banned in the UK
The subject of tree health within the UK is now gaining a heightened media profile and increased governmental attention, but is it too late for our beloved woodlands? The Ash tree ban has captured the nation’s attention and a segment … Continue reading
The Tipping Point – our not so Frozen Planet
It has been a year since Sir David Attenborough and the BBC set awed us with the fantastic delights and drastic plights of our ‘Frozen Plant’. Despite the attention given to global warming facts, the vital role of the poles … Continue reading
Homecoming of the short-haired bumblebee after 24 years
Following three years of intensive preparations, the short-haired bumblebee (Bombus subterraneus) finally came home today to South East England. Around 50 queens from Sweden were released today at the RSPB’s Dungeness reserve in Kent. The species was last seen in … Continue reading
England’s Lost and Threatened Species
A report published by Natural England last week highlights the extent to which habitat loss, invasive species, pollution and now climate change have impacted on England’s species. “Lost Life: England’s Lost and Threatened Species” suggests that, amongst other figures, 24% … Continue reading
IUCN Red List Shows Species Extinction Threat Worsens
The latest update to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has been published today, revealing that the number of species threatened with extinction is growing. 47,677 species are on the list, of which 17,291 are at serious risk. This … Continue reading
Australian Census Reveals Scale of Extinction Threat
A new study published in Australia; “Nature of Living Species in Australia and the World”, suggests that almost 1% of the world’s 1.9 million recorded species are threatened, including 9.2% of major vertebrate species. The report was launched yesterday by … Continue reading
New National Red List Website Launched
The Zoological Society of London has recently launched the National Red List website. It is the first central source of national-level biodiversity data, and already holds over 50,000 species accounts from 40 countries. The website and database seeks to document … Continue reading
Short-Haired Bumblebee Coming Back to Britain
The short-haired bumblebee, declared extinct in the UK in 2000, is to be re-introduced to this country from New Zealand, under a new project facilitated by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. The short-haired bumblebee was transported to New Zealand in the … Continue reading
‘Save the Albatross’ Campaign a Remarkable Success
The outlook for endangered albatross species has dramatically improved, thanks to the success of an international conservation programme implemented by the RSPB and Birdlife International. The Albatross Task Force (ATF) was established in 2006 in order to reduce the number … Continue reading
BES Members Interviewed on Plight of UK Bees
Writing in yesterday’s Times (Sunday 1st February), Richard Girling explores the plight of bumble and honey bees in the UK. Examining the massive declines in bee populations in the UK, accelerating from 6% of honeybee colonies failing per year in … Continue reading