Race to Save Endangered White-Clawed Crayfish in West Yorkshire
Native white-clawed crayfish are on the brink of extinction in West Yorkshire. Environment Agency teams are scrambling to rescue these precious crustaceans before invasive American Signal crayfish and the deadly crayfish plague wipe them out.
Urgent Rescue at Meanwood Beck
Last week, experts rushed to Meanwood Beck in Leeds after detecting crayfish plague during routine water sampling. They cordoned off a section upstream of the infection and carefully removed native crayfish, including females carrying eggs. These survivors were placed in quarantine at Leeds University and York Gate Gardens for health checks before a safe release can be planned.
More rescues are lined up at Pudsey Beck, where invasive American signal crayfish have been confirmed.
Creating ‘Ark’ Havens to Protect Native Crayfish
The Environment Agency, alongside Yorkshire Water and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, is building a network of ‘ark’ sites. These are safe zones free from invasive crayfish and disease, where native populations can thrive. The plan is to eventually repopulate other watercourses using crayfish from these protected sites.
‘We Must Act Now to Save What’s Left’
Tim Selway, Environment Agency biodiversity specialist leading the project, said:
“With so few native crayfish left, we must act to preserve what we can. This project has involved careful planning, licensing from Natural England, and ensuring no harm to other wildlife before moving the crayfish.”
“White-clawed crayfish are vital for clean waterways and as food for other species. Crayfish plague is fatal to them, so rescuing those from Meanwood Beck gives hope they’ll thrive disease-free elsewhere.”
Spotlight on the Invader: American Signal Crayfish
The UK’s only native freshwater crayfish, the white-clawed, is losing ground fast. The bigger, more aggressive American signal crayfish spreads the deadly plague and outcompetes them for food. Their rise is pushing the white-clawed crayfish closer to extinction.
Stop the Spread: Check, Clean, Dry
Investigations show no signal crayfish live in Meanwood Beck, so plague spores likely hitched a ride on equipment, boots, or even pets moving between infected waters. Once plague hits, native crayfish populations vanish within weeks.
Environment Agency officers are urging the public to do their bit:
“This shows how easily a fatal disease can spread and wipe out precious native crayfish,” said Tim Selway.
“Thanks to our water testing, we saved some at Meanwood Beck but that won’t always be the case. Please think before entering watercourses – are your boots and fishing gear properly cleaned? It really matters.”
Anything that touches the water or riverbanks must be thoroughly cleaned and dried for 48 hours. When drying isn’t an option, use environmentally safe aquatic disinfectants. This kills harmful diseases and invasive species.
For more tips, visit the Invasive Non-Native Species Website.
