Ancient chalk grasslands support extraordinary invertebrate communities that have declined catastrophically. Their welfare and conservation require understanding the importance of traditional management.
Chalk grassland invertebrates represent some of the most welfare-vulnerable wildlife communities in Britain. Many species exist in tiny, isolated populations on remnant sites with little genetic exchange. Local extinction events eliminate welfare-significant animal communities permanently. The species involved - butterflies, orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets), beetles, ants - all have some evidence of nociception and potentially welfare-relevant experiences. The welfare of individual animals in these fragile communities is inextricably linked to habitat quality. Supporting traditional grazing and scrub control creates conditions in which these animals can complete complex life cycles with minimal suffering from starvation or habitat loss.