Wildlife

Freshwater Crayfish Native Welfare

Native freshwater crayfish including white-clawed crayfish face welfare threats from invasive species, crayfish plague, and habitat degradation.

Key Facts

White-clawed crayfish populations have declined over 90% in 30 years in the UK
Crayfish plague is lethal to white-clawed crayfish within weeks of exposure
Signal crayfish introduce plague while outcompeting native species
Ark site conservation reserves disease-free populations

Welfare Considerations

White-clawed crayfish exposed to crayfish plague die within weeks from systemic fungal infection causing respiratory failure and hemorrhage. The welfare harm of plague outbreaks affects entire local populations simultaneously. Competition and displacement by signal crayfish reduces food access and habitat availability for survivors. Ark site populations protected from plague contact provide insurance against regional extinction.

What You Can Do

Never move any crayfish between water bodies
Support white-clawed crayfish conservation programs
Report signal crayfish sightings to river management authorities
Donate to native crayfish conservation and ark site programs