SEA LIFE leads the way with conservation for endangered creature

Crayfish in Birmingham have been checking-in to the Riverbed and Breakfast, a brand new licenced hatchery, thanks to the warm hospitality of SEA LIFE Birmingham’s animal care team.

White-clawed crayfish, which are the UK’s only native crayfish and are an ICUN endangered species, are a key stone species in UK rivers and streams, however over the past 20 years, their population has dropped dramatically by up to 80%.

The diminished population has been attributed to the invasion of signal crayfish. Originally from the US, signal crayfish sport boxing glove-like red claws and carry a fungal plague that’s fatal to the white-claws.

As such, in partnership with local conservation groups, SEA LIFE Birmingham is attempting to claw back the British crayfish population by aiding the aquatic underdogs in their fight for food and safety.

The team regularly supports local conservation groups with their crayfish surveys to monitor and protect white-claw crayfish. When invaders are detected nearby these organisations spring into action and translocate at-risk crayfish to ‘ark sites’ – specially prepared safe havens free from signal crayfish.

However, when immediate relocation isn’t possible, SEA LIFE Birmingham’s Riverbed and Breakfast lights up its vacancy sign and offers a five star service for crayfish in need. The temporary holding facility provides a safe refuge for white-clawed crayfish until new ark sites are ready.

And when the lights go down, the River B&B also acts as a breeding ground where berried females can be brought in from the wild to allow them to hatch hundreds of babies in predator-free conditions, ensuring the next generation has the best chance of survival.

Once the babies reach a set size, they are released back into a safe site and allowed to thrive back in the wild.

Jonny Rudd, National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham’s Curator said: “Our team is working incredibly hard alongside our local partners to maintain and, in time, hopefully increase white-clawed crayfish populations across the Midlands. Here in Birmingham, our licensed hatchery, affectionately known as the Riverbed and Breakfast offers UK crayfish a safe haven from the deadly plague carried by signal crayfish.

“On top of providing support to local groups our assisted breeding programme, National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham is also home to a public engagement exhibit, which aims to educate the public about the threats to white-clawed crayfish and how they can help. The exhibit is home to our resident crayfish allowing our guests to meet one of our most illusive yet endangered freshwater residents and learn how they can help protect them.

“We invite everyone to dive into our conservation efforts, learn more about crayfish and develop an understanding of how we can help our native animals survive in UK waters.”

To help white-clawed crayfish thrive, SEA LIFE Birmingham urges Brits to follow the CHECK – CLEAN – DRY principles.

Check - Check your equipment, boat, and clothing after leaving the water for mud, aquatic animals or plant material. Remove anything you find and leave it at the site.

Clean - Clean everything thoroughly as soon as you can, paying attention to areas that are damp or hard to access. Use hot water if possible.

Dry - Dry everything for as long as you can before using elsewhere as some invasive plants and animals can survive for over two weeks in damp conditions.

Without following this set of principles, people can unwittingly transfer crayfish plague from one watercourse to another on items such as wellies, clothing and even on pets!

For further information, please visit the National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham website here: www.visitsealife.com/birmingham