Southern Chalk Streams White Clawed Crayfish Work at The Grange Hampshire

Last week, I reconnected with my zoological roots and enjoyed a bit of time away from my desk to catch up with Ben Rushbrook and some of the work he’s doing for the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust to conserve and enhance our remaining populations of White-Clawed Crayfish. The Grange Hampshire is a fortunate home for these species and we’re glad we can support Ben’s important conservation efforts.

I took my camera along to capture some of his work in action – so if you’d like to see for yourself feel free to watch the video on our YouTube channel below.

The upper reaches of the River Itchen contain some of the few remaining strongholds of the White-Clawed Crayfish, our native species. Habitat destruction and the introduction of the invasive American Signal Crayfish in the 1970s has however placed huge pressure on these native populations.

Crayfish are excellent indicators of water quality and are themselves ecosystem engineers, helping to maintain balance within their environment. Habitually they are nocturnal and shy creatures, but they have a complex social structure and have been known to live up to 12 years. Females are attentive and dedicated mothers, carrying their eggs for nine months under their tails until they hatch, at which point the juveniles continue to hitch a ride for a further two weeks on their mothers’ backs before eventually mustering the courage to stride out on their own.

Sustainability is a complex journey, one that we as a society have struggled with in the past. But with continual learning, we are finding ways to do things better so that future generations won’t miss out on life’s fascinating nuances such as these endearing wee beasties.

For more information on the Southern Chalk Streams project and how you might be able to help, you can visit their website here.