PROTECT THE WILD - GIANT ROB POWNALL’S GANNET GRABS THE HEADLINES IN SCOTTISH POLITICS

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more We Didn’t Win the Election - But We Changed the Conversation How a giant Gannet running for parliament forced Scotland to talk about the Guga hunt. DEVON DOCHERTY MAY 9 READ IN APP Yesterday, we lost the election. But we won the moment. Because as millions of eyes across the country watched the results being announced, they saw a massive Gannet seabird on stage, unfurling a placard that read “END THE GUGA HUNT.” A few months ago, the idea sounded ridiculous. Run for Scottish Parliament dressed as a giant Gannet? But sometimes the only way to force people to confront an uncomfortable truth is to make it impossible to ignore. And that’s exactly what we did. Over the course of this election campaign, our founder Rob stood as an independent candidate in Edinburgh Central - the seat of power in Scotland, home to the Scottish Parliament itself to demand an end to the Guga hunt. If you didn’t know already, the Guga hunt is an annual tradition where ten men travel to the remote island of Sula Sgeir in northern Scotland, take baby gannets from their nests and bludgeon them to death for a local delicacy. Hundreds of years ago, this practice began as a matter of survival in times of food scarcity. Today, it survives only because of tradition - protected by a special exemption buried within Section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act. A single sentence in law which we are determined to change. Out of the shadows, and into the headlines Only a few months ago, it felt like hardly anyone knew that the Guga hunt was happening in Scotland. But our elections campaign has received widespread media coverage that has propelled it into the spotlight. From the original articles announcing that a man dressed as a giant seabird was running for parliament, to coverage of our attempted gatecrash of the Scottish Tory manifesto launch (apparently they weren’t interested in our “Ganifesto”) and then Have I Got News For You featured us on a segment, putting the campaign in front of over four million average viewers. We then made headlines again as Scots “flocked to the polls” on elections day, including front page coverage in the Edinburgh news. Then came the moment we had been waiting for. As millions watched the election results coming in live, they saw a Gannet standing on stage unfurling a placard reading: END THE GUGA HUNT. That message was broadcast on BBC News at Six. It appeared again on BBC News at Ten and also a ITV News at Ten. It was seen by millions of people across the UK and beyond. And the next morning, it was splashed across newspapers, websites and social media pages all around the country. To be honest, there’s now almost too much media coverage to keep track of. But perhaps the most extraordinary part was how perfectly everything aligned. Edinburgh Central became one of the most closely watched seats in Scotland after SNP veteran Angus Robertson lost his seat to Scottish Greens candidate Lorna Slater - making history as the first Scottish Greens MSP ever to win a constituency seat. And because candidates stand alphabetically on stage, Rob - whose surname begins with “P” - ended up positioned directly beside them both, which meant when the placard came out, it was directly in frame at the centre of one of the biggest moments of the night. This campaign was never about getting votes. It was about putting the Guga hunt into the public eye and onto the political agenda. And we believe we’ve achieved that. We’re delighted that Lorna Slater won the seat, with the Scottish Greens currently the only mainstream political party to have publicly committed to ending the Guga hunt. We hope to work with Lorna and other MSPs on this issue in the coming months. The public is paying attention Since yesterday’s coverage, Google searches for “End the Guga Hunt” have surged. Our petition calling on NatureScot not to issue this year’s licence is climbing rapidly - now surpassing 166,000 signatures and continuing to grow. SIGN THE PETITION A campaign with a tiny budget and only two people working on it managed to put a centuries-old hunt onto front pages, prime-time television, and in front of a nation’s eyes. What’s next? The election may be over, but the real work starts now. The new Scottish Parliament has formed, and we’ll soon be meeting with MSPs and stepping up direct political campaigning to put an end to this outdated activity once and for all. Our ask is clear: Remove the exemption from the Wildlife and Countryside Act that allows the Guga hunt to continue. The government petition to end the Guga hunt received more than 100,000 signatures and is expected to be revisited by parliament shortly. Combined with the growing national attention around the issue, we’re entering this next phase with real momentum. We’ll also continue scrutinising NatureScot and pushing them not to issue this year’s licence in light of the evidence and overwhelming public concern. The truth is this: We are closer than we’ve ever been to ending the Guga hunt, but without more people powering this fight, we cannot finish it. That’s why today we’re asking for your help. Adopt a Gannet! Become a monthly supporter of Protect the Wild and power the fight to end the Guga hunt. You can also choose to make a one-off donation. ADOPT A GANNET As a thank you, we'll send you a Gannet plush toy - a small, soft reminder of a bird worth fighting for. We’re not sure how many we will stock - so don't wait around! 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FLIGHTS OF FANCY—THE BIRD GAME SMOKESCREEN FOR FOXHUNTERS

View this email in your browser Hi, Supporter Six Weeks to Make Hunting History! Flights of Fancy - The Bird of Prey exemption At the end of March, the government launched its long-awaited consultation on how to ban ‘trail hunting’. This is a once in a generation opportunity to finally blow away that smokescreen and close the many loopholes in the 2004 Hunting Act. Just another smokescreen for illegal hunting. But there are now just six weeks to complete the consultation, which closes on the 18th June 2026. To make sure your voice is heard, the HSA has produced guidance on completing the consultation which you can find here. This beautiful bird is stuffed in a box so he can go fox hunting. One of the most outrageous loopholes is the so-called Bird of Prey exemption, which was included in the 2004 Hunting Act to allow the bloodsport of falconry to continue once hunting with hounds had been banned. Incredibly, some hunters have used this loophole to continue fox hunting for over twenty years. The hunt simply carries on as it did pre-ban but take along a bedraggled bird of prey which they claim will used to kill any foxes flushed by the hounds. It would be funny if it were not so utterly cynical and cruel. If you believe this, you’ll believe anything… Even the Hawk Board, falconry’s governing body - which has strong links to the Countryside Alliance - state that foxes are not a recognised quarry. They further state that by exploiting this loophole, hunters create serious welfare concerns for both the bird and the hounds. Although this loophole is not widely used, the fact that it is used at all shows the utterly ruthless determination of fox hunters to exploit any loophole they can find – it is for this reason that the HSA is calling for the removal of ALL exemptions in addition to many other measures. Please help make hunting history by completing the consultation today. The government has launched a public consultation on Trail Hunting – this is our chance to stop cruel hunting for good. You can read the HSA’s guidance and take part in the consultation here. The deadline is 18th June 2026 – make sure your voice is heard. Take part in the Trail Hunting Consultation now: Have your say Join the Hunt Saboteurs Association! Support our vital work by becoming a member. Join The HSA Spread the word! Please share our news Share via email Facebook icon Instagram icon Twitter icon Logo Copyright (C) 2026 Hunt Saboteurs Association. All rights reserved. You were subscribed to the newsletter from Hunt Saboteurs Association. Our mailing address is: BM HSA, London, WC1N 3XX, U.K. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe

CORNWALL WILDLIFE TRUST — DOING THINGS FOR WILDLIFE

View this email in your browser Dear [first name] On Wednesday 20 May, Cornwall Wildlife Trust invites you to join our annual panel discussion to explore the state of nature in Cornwall — and the reasons for hope. Date: Wednesday 20 May Time: Doors from 6.30pm with event starting at 7pm Location: Burrell Theatre, Truro School, Trennick Lane, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 1TH Tickets: £5 Chaired by BBC Radio Cornwall presenter Julie Skentelbery, join us for a thought‑provoking evening exploring the pressures facing Cornwall’s wildlife — and whether inspiring conservation efforts are enough to reverse the decline. 👉 Book your place today Book Now Join us for an evening of conversation and debate, with pasties and drinks & nibbles beforehand, and the opportunity to stay on afterwards to meet the panel and team. Free event parking. 🎟 Tickets are just £5 - but already selling fast. 🥟Order by May 12 to get a free pasty with your ticket Book your place today You may also like: Open Gardens Various Dates | 2pm - 5pm Join us and celebrate the 15th anniversary of Open Gardens this year. With 8 gardens across Cornwall flinging open the garden gates, come for the gardens - stay for the tea and cake! Looe Island: Birds, butterflies & more Thur 21 May | 9am - 12.30pm This is a small-number experience offering access to our island nature reserve — ideal for wildlife lovers, photographers, and those seeking a peaceful morning immersed in nature. More dates available. Reptile Spotting Weds 27 May | 10am - 11am Come on an adventure around Penhale dunes to look for some of our amazing reptiles including adders, slow worms & grass snakes. Beginner’s Botany Sat 30 May | 10am - 4pm St Columb Major This workshop from the Environmental Records Centre for Cornwall & Isles of Scilly will help you identify the wildflowers that we find in Cornwall, to family or species level. See more events Facebook icon Instagram icon LinkedIn icon YouTube icon © 2026 Cornwall Wildlife Trust. All rights reserved. Registered charity number 214929. Privacy Policy and T&Cs Our mailing address is: Cornwall Wildlife Trust Five Acres, Allet, Truro, Cornwall, TR4 9DJ Want to change how you receive these emails? You can unsubscribe from this list.

FROM PROTECT THE WILD — BLOOD SPORT ON KILLING FOR ‘FUN’ — BLOOD ON THEIR CHARACTERS

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Undercover footage aired by ITV exposes cruelty at the heart of the bird shooting industry Our undercover investigation launches on national television CHARLIE MOORES MAY 6 READ IN APP Shooting. They call it “sport”. Dress it in the language of tradition, countryside stewardship, and conservation. Wrap it in tweed and tie it with the reassuring ribbon of British heritage. But what Protect the Wild’s investigators found behind the gates of a British farm tells a very different story - one the shooting industry has spent decades and millions of pounds keeping hidden from public view. Earlier this evening ITV aired footage from our undercover investigation. We are very grateful they listened to us, looked at our evidence and decided to cover it. If you missed it or would like to watch again, here it is: Become a Game Changer The shooting industry produces tens of millions of pheasants and Red-legged Partridges every year for the gun. Birds are crammed into wire pens, unable to express natural behaviours, suffering injuries that go untreated, living short and brutal lives from hatchery to gun barrel. The scale is staggering. The indifference is worse. The footage is shocking. Distressing. Already, the reaction has been one of shock and disgust from ordinary people across the country seeing, for the first time, what is done to prepare living creatures for “sport”. We’ve been receiving emails from people who knew things were bad - just not THIS bad. But it was far from the worst of it. It was just a few minutes. A glimpse. What ITV showed was just a fraction of the evidence we collected. We recorded hundreds of hours. Multiple breaches. Across many farms. “…Sounds cruel…” Over the past 12 months, Protect the Wild’s undercover investigators placed hidden cameras at half a dozen farms across the UK. What we recorded over months and months of painstaking work tells the same story everywhere we looked. Suffering on an industrial scale. The shooting industry has spent years selling the public a lie. That it cares. That ‘welfare’ is baked into the operations. Heart of England scrambled to release Facebook post just after the broadcast claiming “Welfare is at the heart of everything we do.” Nonsense! It is part of a sprawling, greedy industry that has normalised mass suffering. This is big business, operating in plain sight, propped up by decades of countryside mythology and political cowardice. Politicians from the current Labour government actually describe this system as ’sustainable’. Tell that to the birds… Become a Game Changer “They just get stuck and die” Over the coming months, Protect the Wild will be releasing many more findings from this investigation. We will be documenting the conditions, the cruelty, the casual suffering treated as an acceptable cost of doing business. We will be examining the legal frameworks that allow this industry to operate in ways that would be unacceptable in any other context. We will be asking why birds that would be protected under animal welfare law in almost every other setting are excluded the moment they become “game.” “…high welfare standards…” The industry’s response to ITV’s programme on our investigation was just what we expected: denial, deflection, and a shrug of the shoulders. But this isn’t about a few rotten apples. We found pain and suffering everywhere we looked. The shooting industry has friends in powerful places. It has lobbying groups, friendly ministers, and a carefully curated public image built on country fairs and charity shoots. What it does not have - what it has never had - is a convincing answer to the question of how what our cameras recorded can be described as anything other than industrialised cruelty. The birds you saw on ITV last night have no voice. The investigators who risked their safety to expose this have given them one. And we at Protect the Wild will not stop until the full picture is understood, the public debate is had, and those responsible are held to account. Please share this article. Share our socials. Follow us for updates. Follow End Bird Shooting on Substack Stay with us. There is much more to come. Join the movement. Become a Game Changer. We are at the beginning of something. Months of undercover work. Hundreds of hours of footage. Farms across the UK exposed. And we are only just getting started. But investigations alone do not end industries. People do. We are asking you to become a Game Changer. To stand with us as we take this fight forward, week by week, piece by piece, until the public, the media and the politicians can no longer look away. The first 500 people to sign up will receive a limited edition pin badge. This is the beginning. Be part of it. Become a Game Changer SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

REVEALED ON NATIONAL TV TONIGHT ON THE PRODUCTION OF GAME BIRDS FOR THE ELITE RICH

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Tomorrow Night Britain Will Be Taken Inside the Bird Shooting Industry PROTECT THE WILD MAY 5 READ IN APP Tomorrow night, 06 May 2026, ITV News will broadcast footage that the bird shooting industry has spent decades hoping the British public would never see. It comes from Heart of England - one of the UK’s largest breeders of pheasants and partridges for the gun. It was recorded by undercover investigators working for Protect the Wild, as part of the largest investigation ever undertaken into British gamebird breeding farms. We commissioned the investigation because we knew what was happening behind the locked gate was horrendous suffering and neglect. Now the country will see it too. We are urging every one of you to watch. ITV has done its job responsibly and professionally, and we are grateful this investigation is receiving the national attention it deserves. But you need to understand something. What you will see tomorrow night is a fraction of what our investigators recorded. A news broadcast can’t show the full scale of what we found in a few minutes. Our cameras were recording for many weeks. The footage we captured runs to hundreds of hours. We witnessed routine suffering, casual cruelty, and injuries left untreated. The birds at this ‘farm’ lived and died in conditions that would shock anyone who believes living creatures deserve basic dignity. This is not one rogue farm caught on a bad day. What our investigators recorded at Heart of England is the everyday reality for tens of millions of birds bred for shooting across Britain every year. The industry’s own economics demand it. You cannot run these operations any other way and still turn a profit. The suffering is not incidental. It is structural. Our End Bird Shooting campaign is going to expose this vile industry like never before. ITV has opened the door. Over the coming months, Protect the Wild will take you through it and right into the heart of the industry. We won’t pretend our footage is easy to watch. It isn’t. You may want to turn away. Please don’t. The birds on farms across the UK don’t have that option. They lived those conditions every hour of every day, from hatching to death. The discomfort you feel watching is nothing compared to what they endured. Make that discomfort the first spark of the anger that changes things. Tomorrow’s broadcast is the opening move in a much longer campaign. In the weeks and months ahead, we will be publishing detailed footage, legal assessments, and evidence that goes far beyond what any news bulletin will show. ITV will air the footage at 6:00pm on ITV Anglia, Central, Meridian, Tyne Tees, West Country, and Yorkshire - a combined audience of between 3 and 4 million viewers! Journalist Nick Smith, who is presenting the programme, will also be LIVE on ITV Central for a studio chat. The take down of the vile bird shooting industry starts tomorrow, 06 May. Please watch ITV’s footage. Share what you see. Share our socials. Don’t let this become a news story that fades by the weekend. Subscribe to our End Bird Shooting Substack for much more! We’re building a movement to end bird shooting and this is just the beginning. Become a subscriber to our End Bird Shooting Substack and help us. Upgrade to paid Join the movement. Become a Game Changer. We are at the beginning of something. Months of undercover work. Hundreds of hours of footage. Farms across the UK exposed. And we are only just getting started. But investigations alone do not end industries. People do. We are asking you to become a Game Changer. To stand with us as we take this fight forward, week by week, piece by piece, until the public, the media and the politicians can no longer look away. The first 500 people to sign up will receive a limited edition pin badge. This is the beginning. Be part of it. Become a Game Changer SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

BUGBYTES FROM BUGLIFE APRIL’S NEWS. IT’S ALL ABOUT INVERTEBRATES AND THEIR IMPORTANCE

Buglife Logo saving the small things that run the planet View this email in your browser Dear John Welcome to the April edition of Buglife's e-newsletter, BugBytes! This week sees the exciting conclusion of Buglife’s Big Give Earth Raise campaign, Invertebrates: The Backbone of Species Recovery. Citizen Science Month may also be coming to an end but there are still plenty of activities you can get involved with too. So, let’s buzz on over and take a look. Invertebrates: The Backbone of Species Recovery This week we have been absolutely blown away by your support and with just 24 hours to go we are currently sitting at 94% of our campaign target. Can you help us with one final push to achieve our fundraising goal? Double my donation today! Our supporters are amazing and we would like to "thank you" now, for supporting our work and our appeal in any way you can; whether that's by making a donation, forwarding the email you’ve received on to a friend, even liking or sharing our social media posts. Good to know: Once our campaign target has been reach, donations will no longer be doubled, but they will enable us to do more and possible secure additional funding in the future - so every penny counts and it all helps! Beyond Citizen Science Month It's a brilliant time to explore the great outdoors, spend time with family and become a Citizen Scientist, if you aren't already! There are lots of fantastic bug-gy activities to get involved with; check out some of our suggestions below: Bugs Matter Will the lack of insects be a hot topic again this year? There are a number of ways you can help support anecdotal discussion with science and data, starting with our very own Bugs Matter! (open 1 April until 30 September) Bugs Matter Search for the Strandline Beetle Heading to the beach in the South West? Keep your eyes peeled and let us know if you spot one of these strandline scuttlers. (open year round) Join the search Be a BeeWalker If you have a few spare hours every month, want to enjoy a short walk and help monitor the abundance of bumblebees with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, this is the survey for you! (open March until October) Be the Bees Knees Bilberry Bumblebee (Bombus monticola) © Charlotte Rankin Short-necked Oil Beetle (Meloe brevicollis) © Peadar O’Connell Oil Beetle Hunt Have you spotted a strange looking blue-tinged beetle whilst out walking? Be sure to take a picture and log your sighting. Whilst our Buglife Scotland Team are keen for reports of Scottish Oil Beetles, records can be submitted from across the UK! (open year round) Join the hunt PoM Scheme FIT Counts No running required! Help monitor how pollinator populations are changing with PoM Scheme Flower Insect Timed (FIT) Counts! With your help data is being gathered on a wide range of flower-visiting insects. All you need is a flower and 15 minutes. (open April until 30 September) Let’s get counting! Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) © David Price (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) Nature Connectedness at Night The University of Derby are currently running two surveys, Buglife Safari and Curious Craneflies, exploring how nighttime nature experiences affect our wellbeing, environmental awareness and our relationship with the natural world. (now open) Step outside after dark… Ham or Jam? Bring a little Citizen Science to your summer picnic with this quick survey brought to you by Professor Seirian Sumner. Learning about the type of food wasps are after tells us about their life-cycle and predicting behaviours may help us live together more harmoniously. (open soon) Find out, is it Ham or Jam? Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris) © Sid Mosdell (CC BY 2.0 DEED) Yellow-legged Hornets making the headlines The media are once again sharing information about sightings of the non-native Yellow-legged Hornet (Vespa velutina), here in the UK. As a result of these early sightings conservationists feel that it is highly probable the hornets have overwintered and may now be successfully breeding in the UK. A native to Asia, this Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) was first recorded in the UK in 2016. Since this time sightings have increased and during 2025, 544 credible sightings were recorded. As the Yellow-legged Hornet has now been reported as active, we would like to ask our followers to report any suspected sightings as soon as possible; vigilance is particularly required in southern parts of England, Northern Ireland and Wales and around major ports, but they could be found anywhere across the UK. Reporting sightings is easy to do and can be done either via the Asian Hornet Watch App or via an online form. Yellow-legged Hornet (Vespa velutina) © Gilles San Martin (Flickr, CC) Identifying a Yellow-legged Hornet Learn more… Visit the map Exciting opportunities for Buglife supporters! We will shortly be starting our first One Million Steps 2026 challenge and we’re inviting you to join us! Walk, jog, run, hop or dance your way to a million steps in 100 days. That's 500 miles or the distance from London to Zurich, Switzerland BUT it's just the 10,000 average a day; or, if you need another comparator or two: 🗺️ Brighton to Inverness, Scotland; 🚶‍♀️ More than 18 marathons. It really is something to be proud of and to add a bit more incentive you could help us save the small things that run the planet by taking part and asking others to sponsor you! Go solo or sign up with friends to support each other to that finish line! Take the first of One Million Steps… Giveaway details: As a thankyou to you, our supporters, we have a small number of FREE entries remaining to help you along your way. Just sign up via the One Million Steps website and enter the code Buglife50 when asked for payment details. Get in there quick to avoid disappointment - registration closes Monday 18 May 2026! Browse our Bug Directory Did you know that we have almost 200 invertebrate species profiles on our website, and counting? Let’s meet one of the species that you’ll like be seeing a lot of at the moment! St Mark’s Fly (Bibio marci) © Jaybee www.phocus-on.co.uk This month we’re taking a look at the St Mark’s Fly (Bibio marci), so called because they emerge around St Mark’s Day, on 25 April every year, and can be seen in flight in May. The St Mark’s Fly is a species of true fly, known as Hawthorn Flies. Found around woodland edges, hedges, rough grassland and wetlands the St Mark’s Fly can be seen throughout the UK in spring, these flies are quite distinctive. Males are around 12mm in length with clear wings, have large eyes and long dangling hind legs whilst the females are around 14mm in length, with smoky brown wings and much smaller eyes and legs. ℹ️ Did you know: The male’s eyes are divided by a groove and have separate connections to the brain; this allows the males to use the upper eye part to look out for females and the lower part to monitor their position in relation to the ground, allowing them to hover in the same position. For more information about this not so speedy fly with an eye on the calendar, visit our Bug Directory. Take me to the Bug Directory! Which bug would you like to see added to the directory next, there's plenty to choose from! ICYMI ~ When does protection mean protection? Earlier this month a report from Wild Justice made headlines when it revealed that the Government’s environmental advisor Natural England has stopped designating Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). ...there hasn’t been a single new SSSI designated in England since 2023! While SSSIs are often called ‘the backbone of our protected sites network’, do they actually serve the needs of the creatures without backbones – the invertebrates – that Buglife is dedicated to protecting? Join Buglife Programmes Manager, Jamie Robins, as he explores this question in our latest blog, "When does protection mean protection?" Read the blog… Swanscombe © Julie Preston Upcoming events Friday 1 May ~ Plantlife’s No Mow May begins Sunday 3 May ~ Spring Community Celebration at Brockwell Park with Brockwell Park Greenhouses (Brockwell Park London) Thursday 5 May ~ Orbweb Spiders with The Biological Recording Company (online) Wednesday 6 May ~The Bug Bunch! For Home Ed Families (Canvey Wick, Essex) Wednesday 6 May ~ Invertebrate Study Day with The Biological Recording Company (Natural History Museum, London) Thursday 7 May ~ Pollinator FIT Count workshop with Bright Green Nature and Buglife Scotland (Selkirk, Scotland) Tuesday 12 May ~ Bookworms! preschool story time at Canvey Island Library (Canvey, Essex) Wednesday 13 May ~ Walk the Wick! Spring 2026 (Canvey Wick, Essex Thursday 14 May ~ Blue Ground Beetle Identification at Bovey Valley Woodlands with Moor Invertebrates (Bovey Tracey, Devon) Monday 18 May ~ Blue Ground Beetle Identification at Dart Valley Woodlands with Moor Invertebrates (Newbridge Hill, Devon) Wednesday 20 May ~ The Bug Bunch! For Home Ed Families (Canvey Wick, Essex) Wednesday 27 April ~ Walk the Wick! Spring 2026 (Canvey Wick, Essex) Thursday 28 May ~ Underexplored Freshwater Habitats in Ireland: Case Studies Using Riverflies with The Biological Recording Company (online) Tuesday 2 June ~ Friend, Foe, or Freeloader? The Flower Crab Spider with The Biological Recording Company (online) a person holding up a cell phone displaying the words Bugs Matter Please do remember that our website Events Page is being updated all the time so, to keep up to date with both current and future Buglife events, as well as events from partners and supporters, be sure to visit regularly. What’s the buzz? Anger as potential Site of Special Scientific Interest sand dunes are destroyed Wildlife experts have been left devastated by the continued intentional destruction of dune habitat on the Ardeer Peninsula in Ayrshire by its landowners – despite the dunes being ear-marked as part of a potential Site of Special Scientific Interest. Local community groups and national wildlife organisations called on Scottish Government agency NatureScot to designate the special habitats of the Ardeer Peninsula as part of a Garnock Estuary SSSI back in 2022, building on a long-running local campaign to protect its wildlife. Report front cover: The effects of veterinary tick and flea treatments on freshwater invertebrates and ecosystems Damage to Ardeer Peninsula Read the story… Open letter, veterinary parasiticides in the environment March Brown Mayfly (Rhithrogena germanica) © Richard Bartz (CC BY-SA 2.5) Earlier in April Buglife joined many other voices, writing to the Environment Minister Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to raise concern about chemicals in common flea and tick treatments contaminating the UK’s rivers, lakes, ponds, and wildlife. Together with SongBird Survival, WildFish, we stand alongside leading environmentalists, academics, and veterinary professionals calling for action. Find out more and read the full letter Read the story… For all our latest news please visit our website News Pages. Buglife shop The Buglife Shop is open for all your invertebrate needs, offering more ethical options and ways for you to support bugs. Whether you’re looking for clothing, insurance, home accessories or gifts for a loved one; there’s something for everyone! a packet of native wildflower seeds Nurture the Night Shift Jute Bag Visit Buglife’s shop Adopt a Bug Exciting shop news: In addition to our usual offerings our Spring/Summer Brochure, brought to you in partnership with Red Robin, is here! From stationary to home furnishings, bee hotels to clothing - bring a little cheer to your home and support Buglife in the process! Spring/Summer Brochure Don't forget you can stay up to date with the work of the Buglife team via Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube! Thank you for your continued interest in and support of our work; together we can save the small things that run the planet! The Buglife Team Donate Join the Buglife Community Facebook icon Instagram icon LinkedIn icon YouTube icon Website icon Buglife Logo Copyright © 2026 Buglife - The Invertebrate Conservation Trust. All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in to receive Member communications electronically following becoming a Member. Thank you. Our mailing address is: Buglife - The Invertebrate Conservation Trust Allia Future Business Centre London Road Peterborough, Cambridgeshire PE2 8AN United Kingdom Company No. 04132695 | Registered Charity No. 1092293 | Scottish Charity No.SC040004 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe

FROM MARINE CONSERVATION—WHAT GOES IN THE WATER GETS INGESTED

Help us stop harmful chemicals causing more damage View in browser A bottlenose dolphin and its baby are swimming in the ocean. A yellow smear appears on the mother dolphin and in the water surrounding it, to represent harmful chemicals. Text overlaid reads: Stop the Ocean Chemical Crisis Hi John, What do sea otters, bottlenose dolphins, northern gannets and polar bears all have in common? Exposure to harmful forever chemicals, otherwise known as PFAS. These beloved species are being damaged by human-made chemicals, but we're determined to put a stop to it and protect the ocean for generations to come. A sea otter floats on its back on top of water. There is a lurid yellow smear overlaid on the otter's fur to represent harmful chemicals You'll hopefully recognise the adorable, fluffy sea otter. Sadly, these beautiful animals are struggling to fight off infection because their immune systems have been damaged by exposure to forever chemicals. And they're not the only species affected. Forever chemicals have been shown to disrupt reproduction, thyroid activity, metabolism and development in fish. They've also been linked to neurological impacts in polar bears, which could impact behaviours from searching for food to mating. Perhaps most shocking of all is the fact that PFAS have been shown to pass from sea birds to their eggs, pre-polluting the chicks inside before they've even been born. But hope is not lost. If we work together, we can stop the ocean chemical crisis. We're asking for a universal restriction on PFAS to be introduced by 2030, to stop more of these harmful chemicals polluting the ocean and the marine life that calls it home. With your donation to our Big Give appeal, John, we'll have more funds to be able to lobby the UK Government for change. We'll also be able to research both the continued impacts of PFAS, and other solutions needed to tackle them. Donate now to help protect marine life from the ocean chemical crisis, and remember that your donation will be doubled for this week only! Double your impact and donate today Thanks so much for your support. Francesca Policy and Advocacy Manager (Chemicals) Marine Conservation Society Test your PFAS knowledge Put what you've learnt to the test with our PFAS quiz. Find out if you're a PFAS expert - here's the first question to get you started: First things first, what actually are PFAS? Natural chemicals found in seaweed that are rich in nutrients and primarily used as fertilizers Human-made chemicals used in a wide range of consumer and industrial products Text speak for Piranha Fish Are Scary Donate Contact us Unsubscribe The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) is the UK charity dedicated to protecting our seas, shores and wildlife. Marine Conservation Society | Company Limited by Guarantee (England and Wales) No. 2550966 Registered Charity No. England and Wales No. 1004005 | Scotland No. SC037480 VAT No. 321 4912 32 Registered Office: Overross House, Ross Park, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, HR9 7US. Scottish Office: CBC House, 24 Canning Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8EG.