INTERESTING — LAWYERS FOR ANIMALS

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more This might be the biggest news for animals in years ROB POWNALL MAR 1 READ IN APP For more than a decade, I have dedicated my life to protecting animals. I have stood on the streets at demonstrations. I have lobbied online. I have spoken to camera when cruelty was ignored. I have grown Protect the Wild from a small idea into a team working every day through investigations, journalism, campaigning and public pressure to defend animals in every way possible. And through all of that work, one thing has become painfully clear to me. The missing piece has been consistent legal enforcement. Animal welfare legislation in this country is not perfect. It is not where many of us ultimately want it to be, and organisations like ours will continue working to improve it. But the laws that already exist should, at the very least, be properly applied. Laws only protect animals if they are enforced. Time and again, evidence of potential breaches emerges, particularly in large scale commercial settings, and yet prosecutions remain rare. In 2024, the Animal Law Foundation found that just 2.2 percent of reported violations on farms resulted in prosecution. That figure alone suggests that enforcement is inconsistent. For years, grassroots groups have exposed cruelty and raised awareness. Public concern is clear. In 2025, the RSPCA reported that 71 percent of people in Britain identify as animal lovers, and more than three quarters believe individuals and businesses should be responsible for animal welfare. The evidence exists. The public support exists. What has been less developed, however, is a coordinated and dedicated effort focused specifically on reviewing evidence and, where appropriate, pursuing private prosecutions in cases that extend beyond companion animals, including complex or systemic cases. This is why the launch of Lawyers for Animals matters so much. I am incredibly proud to say that I am a trustee of this new charity (Charity number: 1215659) and have spent the past several months helping to ensure it could be established on strong and responsible foundations. For me, this is the most exciting development in animal protection that I can remember. Lawyers for Animals is a community of barristers and solicitors with a clear and focused purpose: to support the proper enforcement of existing animal protection laws in England and Wales, including private prosecutions where appropriate. Support Lawyers for Animals This work is not about campaigning or advancing a political objective. It is about the rule of law. Any decision to pursue a private prosecution will be based strictly on the evidential test and the public interest test that underpin criminal proceedings. Cases will be assessed carefully, independently and in line with established legal standards. Image from Lawyers for Animals’ website Lawyers for Animals is currently reviewing evidence from more than 100 investigations across England, examining potential breaches of animal protection law. Where the legal threshold is met, and where it is considered to be in the public interest, private prosecutions may be pursued. In just five months, more than twenty barristers and solicitors have come together to build a coordinated legal initiative dedicated to this work. This has been achieved on less than £10,000, demonstrating both the commitment within the legal community and the potential for this to grow. For me personally, knowing that there is now organised legal expertise focused specifically on enforcement gives me renewed energy. It brings a sense that evidence does not have to end with exposure. It can be assessed, tested and, where justified, brought before a court. If you share that sense that proper enforcement matters, I encourage you to support Lawyers for Animals by subscribing to their Substack. It costs nothing. It builds the community around this work. And it helps ensure that the laws already on the statute book are treated as more than words on paper. Animals already have legal protection. Now there is a dedicated community of lawyers working to ensure it is applied. Support Lawyers for Animals Disclaimer: This article is written in my personal capacity as founder of Protect the Wild. While I am a trustee of Lawyers for Animals, the views expressed here are my own and do not constitute formal statements on behalf of the charity. SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

FROM PROTECT THE WILD — OBSERVATIONS BY HUNT SABS ON STAG HUNTING THEM TO DEATH

View this email in your browser Hi, Supporter Devon & Somerset Staghounds: Researching Deer To Death Graphic Content Throughout As we reported two weeks ago, members of a covert HSA intelligence unit attended a number of West Country staghound meets in Autumn 2025. Last week we exposed the Tiverton Staghounds; today we focus on the Devon & Somerset, who were infiltrated back in September 2025. Stag killed by the Devon & Somerset Staghounds on 2nd September 2025. Like the two other stag hunts, the Devon & Somerset routinely switch between different loopholes as required, but they chiefly rely on the ‘Research and Observation’ exemption of the Hunting Act. This states that two dogs can be used if: “the hunting is undertaken for the purpose of or in connection with the observation or study of the wild mammal.” In a competitive field, this is surely the most outrageous claim of any hunt in the country. The stomach-churning spectacle of the Devon & Somerset Staghounds pursuing stags with relays of two hounds, together with a gang of screaming thugs on quad bikes, is about as far from scientific research as it is possible to get. Indeed, in the two decades the pack has been exploiting this exemption only one – yes, one – piece of supposedly scientific ‘research’ has been produced. Stag ‘researched’ to death by the Devon & Somerset Staghounds. An operative from the covert unit attended the Simonsbath meet on 30th August 2025 to witness the brutal hunting and killing of a fine Exmoor stag. Supporters were keen to point out that this very animal had been hunted to exhaustion just a few days before by the Tiverton Staghounds. No doubt broken by that earlier pursuit, the stag was easy prey for the Devon & Somerset Staghounds. A week later, other members of the unit were back at the Devon & Somerset to witness another healthy, mature stag be hunted to exhaustion and killed. This animal should have been entering the rut - leading a herd, passing on strong genetics, and playing his role in a stable ecosystem. Instead, he was run for ‘sport’, surrounded, and killed so the hunt could celebrate another killing in what one supporter called their “best season ever.” Hounds feast on the stag’s entrails, 23rd September 2025. As at the Tiverton, our operatives witnessed the ritual butchering of dead stags, with the huntsman ripping open the abdomen so the hounds could gorge on the intestines. Once again, this investigation revealed how determined, extremist stag hunters are constantly adapting to evade accountability or charges: a ban on ‘trail hunting’ – though urgently needed – will not be enough in itself to stop these hardened hunters in their tracks. Only our comprehensive set of proposals – based on over sixty years of sabotaging all types of bloodsports - will really end hunting with hounds. 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

FROM PLANTLIFE — THEY SAY IT IS WORLD WILDLIFE DAY

World Wildlife Day 2026 View this email in your browser Donate Join Shop Hi John, Did you know that today is World Wildlife Day? And this year - plants are in the spotlight! In many dictionaries wildlife is defined as animals that are not domesticated - and plants and fungi are almost always left out. But this year, World Wildlife Day is shining a light on the critical role that plants play with the theme of 'Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Conserving Health, Heritage and Livelihoods'. We know that life on Earth depends on its extraordinary diversity of plants and fungi - they underpin the health of our environment. They can help us to resolve the climate, ecological and societal challenges which we face. It's clear to see that we all rely so heavily on plants and fungi, perhaps sometimes without realising it. So, we're sure you'll agree that learning more about them is very important. From habitats, to the threats they face and fun facts to folklore, follow the link below to discover more about the species you might spot. Explore Plants and Fungi From providing food, life-saving medicines, financial security and shaping our history – plants and fungi are at the heart of our communities around the world. Here are just some of the ways that plants are vital to our way of life: 60,000 plant species are estimated to be used globally for medicinal purposes 25% of all pharmaceuticals come from plants 1 in 5 people rely on wild plants, algae and fungi for their food and income Medicinal and aromatic plants are humanities oldest healthcare system Conserving medicinal and aromatic plants helps preserve traditional knowledge Find Fascinating Facts About Plants and Fungi We hope that you will join us today - and everyday - in celebrating our incredible fauna, flora and funga! Happy World Wildlife Day. Thank you. Charley Adams, Plantlife Nature Editor Follow Plantlife on: Instagram Instagram Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter YouTube YouTube LinkedIn LinkedIn Website Website Copyright © Plantlife All rights reserved. Plantlife International is a charitable company limited by guarantee. Registered Charity in England and Wales (1059559) & Scotland, (SC038951) Registered Company in England and Wales (3166339) Registered Office: Brewery House,36 Milford Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 2AP, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1722 342730 enquiries@plantlife.org.uk www.plantlife.org.uk Plantlife respects your privacy. You can read more about how and why we use your personal data at www.plantlife.org.uk/privacy-notice Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

FROM PROTECT THE WILD & THE DECISION REGARDING PROTEST BLOCKED BY THE HOUSE OF LORDS

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Judicial Review Launched Over Public Order Act Amendment ROB POWNALL MAR 3 READ IN APP On 4 February, the House of Lords voted not to block the Government’s changes to the Public Order Act, expanding the definition of “key national infrastructure” to include animal testing facilities. That vote came after months of campaigning by Camp Beagle, Animal Aid, Naturewatch Foundation, Protect the Wild, and others. Tens of thousands of emails were sent to MPs and peers. People travelled to Westminster. Legal concerns were raised repeatedly and placed firmly on the record. Despite strong opposition, the regulations were approved. It was a setback. But it was not the end. Lawyers for Animals, alongside co-claimant Maria Iriart from Camp Beagle, are now pursuing a judicial review challenging the decision to classify the life sciences sector, including animal testing facilities, as key national infrastructure A judicial review allows the High Court to examine whether the Government acted lawfully in introducing these regulations. It looks at whether ministers remained within their legal powers, whether proper reasoning and evidence were provided, and whether fundamental rights such as the right to protest have been unlawfully restricted. If the court finds the regulations are unlawful, they can be quashed. The claim argues that extending these powers goes beyond what Parliament intended under the 2023 Act. Maria Iriart, bringing this case as co-claimant alongside Lawyers for Animals, has spoken about the uncertainty these new powers create: “I have dedicated a significant part of my life to peacefully protesting against the use of animals in regulatory tests. The fact that I do not know what kind of behaviour will now constitute ‘interference’ makes the prospect of continuing to protest quite scary… I have no idea if holding up a placard, using a loudspeaker, making the wrong kind of gesture, wearing a costume, or even posting on social media, could now be a serious criminal offence.” That uncertainty is exactly why this case matters. We also want to thank Maria for stepping forward as a co-claimant in this challenge. Bringing a case like this as an individual against the Government is not a small decision, and it plays an important role in ensuring these powers are properly tested. Camp Beagle has kept attention on this issue for years. Campaigners across the movement refused to let these regulations pass quietly. Supporters helped fund the this legal challenge. All of that effort has led to this moment. We recently introduced Lawyers for Animals to you and explained why their work is so important. This judicial review is a clear example of that work in action. When Government power expands, it must be examined through the courts. That is how accountability functions in practice. If you want to stay in the loop, understand how the judicial review unfolds, and read developments as they happen, subscribe for free to Lawyers for Animals on Substack. They will be sharing updates as the case progresses. And we’d urge you to follow Camp Beagle on Instagram and support their tireless campaigning. We will continue to update you at key stages as well. The parliamentary debate may be over. The legal challenge has begun. SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

AN INFORMATIVE UPDATE FROM WILD JUSTICE — NOT ALL GOOD NEWS AS THERE ARE DELAYS

Good morning! Today we bring a few updates, including some good news for Wild Justice, some legal challenge updates, and two campaigns you might like to support. Good news – Co-Director Ruth Tingay named among top Changemakers of 2026 Each year, Big Issue magazine compiles a list of 100 people and organisations driving change in their communities. The Changemakers are voted for by Big Issue readers and this year, Wild Justice's co-director Dr Ruth Tingay has been recognised in the Environment and Climate category — both for her work with Wild Justice and for her award-winning Raptor Persecution UK blog. Congratulations, Ruth! More good news – we finally have a new date for our postponed Badger legal challenge Our long-awaited legal challenge against Natural England's supplementary Badger cull licences has faced two delays: once last summer, and again in December 2025. We're pleased to say we now have a confirmed date for the substantive hearing - 16 June 2026 - nearly two years after we first launched the case! It's been a long road but we're ready to see it through, alongside our co-challengers at the Badger Trust. Dartmoor – still waiting for news… On the subject of waiting, we're also yet to receive a judgement in our legal challenge against overgrazing on protected areas of Dartmoor, which was heard in court in July 2025. Eight months on, we’re still waiting — but we'll update you the moment we hear anything. Shooting industry challenges gamebird releases near Special Protections Areas Last year BASC (British Association for Shooting and Conservation) applied to the High Court for permission to challenge Natural England in relation to the release of non-native gamebirds (Pheasants and Red-legged Partridges) on or near Special Protection Areas (SPAs) in England. This is a subject Wild Justice has campaigned on quite extensively; indeed, it was our earlier work that led to new restrictions on gamebird releases on and near to SPAs, and our recent work has shown that in some locations, unsurprisingly, the new regulations are being ignored. We applied to the High Court for permission to either intervene in the case, or be given Interested Party status, but last week the court refused our application. We considered appealing this decision but have made a strategic decision against it and will instead look for opportunities to support Natural England with its defence. A substantive hearing is expected to take place later this year. Help a community group buy some common greenspace: Tunbridge Wells and Rusthall Commons are areas of protected greenspace, close to Tunbridge Wells. Together they cover over 300 acres, providing a substantial green corridor running through and around the town. They are treasured and valued areas of greenspace, used by local communities for leisure and exercise on a daily basis. The commons are SSSI-designated primarily for their lowland heathland habitat, being home to active Badger setts, multiple bat species, reptiles (including Slow Worms, Adders, Grass Snakes and Common Lizards), 18 species of nationally scarce or rare hymenoptera (bees and wasps), and rare plants such as Coralroot and Royal Ferry. Recently The Guardian newspaper covered a bid by the Friends of Tunbridge Wells and Rusthall Commons to purchase the Commons – see here - which are now up for sale. This is a unique opportunity for a local community group to take on management of a nature-rich space and to protect it longer term from development. The Friends of the Commons are exploring this possibility and are asking supporters to pledge to support a future bid to purchase the Commons, and to do this before 26 March. If you’d like to do so, you can pledge via their website – click here. Please note – The Friends of the Commons are not asking for a donation at this stage, just an indication (pledge) that you would be willing to consider making a donation at a later stage. A petition for you to sign to help birds of prey Friends of the Dales (a registered charity based in the Yorkshire Dales) is asking the government for important law reform to stop the criminal killing of birds of prey. Many of you will be aware that the Yorkshire Dales is a national hotspot for illegal raptor persecution, particularly on the privately-owned grouse moors within the National Park. Friends of the Dales is calling for the introduction of sentencing guidelines and the strengthening of penalties for offenders, the establishment of a National Wildlife Crime Database, and more effective regulation for those industries committing these wildlife crimes. We agree that all of these proposals would be beneficial, and so we’re asking you to consider signing the petition. You can do so by clicking here. That’s it for now, we’ll be in touch with a further update very soon. Thank you, Wild Justice (CEO: Bob Elliot. Directors: Chris Packham and Ruth Tingay). This is the 262nd Wild Justice newsletter. This email was sent to you because you subscribed to it through the Wild Justice website or through an e-action or a petition where you ticked a box. Thank you. We will only use your personal details to send you the Wild Justice newsletter. We will not give or sell your details to anyone else. You can unsubscribe at any time: there is an unsubscribe button at the foot of this email or you can reply to this email and ask us to remove you from the list (the former will happen immediately, the latter might take a few days). 124, City Road London Greater London EC1V 2NX UNITED KINGDOM Unsubscribe | Change Subscriber Options

FROM BUGLIFE — IT’S THE SMALL THINGS THAT MATTER — LOOK AFTER THEM

Buglife Logo saving the small things that run the planet View this email in your browser Dear John Welcome to the February edition of Buglife's e-newsletter, BugBytes! February may be the shortest month of the year, but that hasn’t stopped it being cram-packed with lots of invertebrate stories and action. 2026 has started with a bang and the Buglife team have been busy. There’s a lot going on, so let’s buzz on over and take a look, before the month scuttles away from us! World Wetlands Day 2026 Monday 2 February saw us celebrating World Wetlands Day. Each year World Wetlands Day has a different focus, this year's focus was cultural heritage, and we shared a delightful pair of blogs from Buglife Cymru and Scotland team members. Did you miss them? Now’s your chance to rectify that. So, go and grab a cuppa and join us as we discover the world of Welsh River Goddess, Aerfen, and answer the Kelpie’s call. 📝 Buglife Cymru Natur am Byth Scarce Yellow Sally Conservation Officer, Sarah, explored the relationship between Welsh Goddess Aerfen and the River Dee in the first of our blogs “My family and other rivers”. Aerfen, like ancient gods in general, was a part of the community but with superhuman strength and superhuman wild emotions. Capable of both great harm and great good. Let Sarah introduce you to Aerfen and her fierce and gentle ways. Upper River Dee, North Wales © Catherine Poh Huay Tan (CC BY 2.0, via Flickr) Read the Blog This blog is also available to read in Welsh, “Fy nheulu ac afonydd eraill” if you would prefer. Darllenwch y blog 📝 Buglife Scotland Guardians of Our Rivers: Next Steps Conservation Officer, Caroline, shared tales from Scottish folklore of the Kelpies, in her blog “Protecting our rivers: answering the Kelpies’ call”. Reinterpreting the message of the terrifying water spirits haunt the rivers, burns and lochs of Scotland, and turning it into a message of hope. Have we piqued your interest? Have a read to find out more. Kelpie at Splash © Safar Fiertze (CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr) Kelpie at Splash © Safar Fiertze (CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr) Read the Blog A defining day for Thurrock’s struggling wildlife This week we’ve seen a mixed outcome for Thurrock’s nationally important, but under fire, wildlife. While Thurrock Council’s planning committee refused permission for an application that would see the special flower-rich sand terraces of Buckingham Hill Pit Local Wildlife Site buried, it sadly granted permission for an expansion to the sprawling Port of Tilbury. With plans for Tilbury 3 set to pave over the unique ashfields of Pulverised Fuel Ash (PFA), which are part of the West Tilbury Marshes Local Wildlife Site it calls into question the long-term future of Thurrock’s renowned invertebrate populations. Despite its small size, Thurrock is home to nationally important populations of invertebrates and other scarce wildlife, making it a vital landscape within the Thames Estuary. However, Thurrock has suffered from enormous pressure from development, including previous port expansion for Tilbury 2 and the now green lit Lower Thames Crossing. 🤝 We will continue to work with partner organisations, including Essex Wildlife Trust and local community groups, such as Essex Field Club, to take action to secure a future for Thurrock's remaining wildlife site network and call for urgently needed protection and strategic planning. Neville's Farm, Thurrock © Jamie Robins When a site is under threat from development, or wildlife is in the firing line from a new Government policy, your voice can make a difference. Because politicians and other decision makers are more likely to listen when they see that this is an issue lots of us are passionate about. Your support has helped to ensure the future of sites such as Canvey Wick, dubbed ‘England’s rainforest’ on account of its incredible variety of bugs, including a bumblebee which has almost disappeared from the rest of the UK. You have also helped us to achieve a ban on Synthetic Pyrethroids, a hugely toxic sheep-dip that has been responsible for the severe pollution of miles of our rivers. Find out more about some of our ongoing saving sites work, and campaigns Take me to the action… 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! Northern February Red (Brachytera putata) © Gus Jones This month we’re taking a look at the aptly named Northern February Red (Brachytera putata), a small, native, endemic stonefly. This beautiful bug has its global stronghold in the Scottish Highlands and has only ever been recorded in two rivers outside Scotland – the River Usk in Wales and the River Wye in Hereford, where it was last recorded prior to 1990 and is now thought to be extinct. The adults can be seen emerging on riverbanks in sunshine, from February to April, and are often encountered as they bask in the sun on fenceposts alongside the river. Have you ever seen what you think might be a Northern February Red whilst out walking? If you have a photo of it, no matter how long ago it was taken, we’d love it if you could share it with us and join the Hunt for the Northern February Red! ℹ️ Good to know: The adult Northern February Red drums to find a mate; the male will drum its abdomen on the vegetation or trees/fenceposts and the female will reply. Doing this until they find each other; they will then mate. For more information about this fascinating insect visit our Bug Directory. Here, you will also find details on how to join “the hunt” and, who knows, you might help us discover new populations! Join the hunt Which bug would you like to see added to the directory next, there's plenty to choose from! Vote for Buglife (again!)! No, you’re not seeing things, we are asking you to vote for us once again! We're delighted to share that "Coal Spoil Connections ~ the legacy" was selected as a finalist in its category at the Charity Film Awards. ❓What does that mean? A second round of voting is now open and the most voted for film (combined votes from both the first and second round) will win the People’s Choice Award! Wouldn't it be a fantastic end to the Buglife Cymru Coal Spoil Connections project to win at the Smiley Charity Film Awards? ✅ So, head on over. Check out the film and, even if you have voted previously, make sure you click that Vote button as every vote counts! Vote for Buglife Voting open for eight weeks so get clicking and share with family/friends! Upcoming events Wednesday 4 March ~ The Bug Bunch! For Home Ed Families (Canvey Wick, Essex) Thursday 5 March ~ Antarctic Invertebrates: Diversity and Threats with The Biological Recording Company (online) Tuesday 10 March ~ Bookworms! preschool story time at Canvey Island Library (Canvey Wick, Essex) Wednesday 11 March ~ Walk the Wick! Spring 2026 (Canvey Wick, Essex) Thursday 12 March ~ Changes in the UK Stag Beetle Population with The Biological Recording Company (online) Tuesday 17 March ~ Supporting pollinators and other invertebrates on farms (Malmesbury, Wiltshire) Tuesday 17 March ~ Invertebrate Study Day with the Biological Recording Company (Natural History Museum, London) Wednesday 18 March ~ Biodiversity Net Gain Virtual Symposium 2026 with The Biological Recording Company (online) Wednesday 18 March ~ The Bug Bunch! For Home Ed Families (Canvey Wick, Essex) Wednesday 18 March ~ Supporting pollinators and other invertebrates on farms with The North East Cotswold Farm Cluster CIC (Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire) Saturday 21 March ~ Meadow Management & BBQ with Life on the Edge (Chivelstone, Devon) Tuesday 24 March ~ Beetle Field Recorder Day with The Biological Recording Company (Lesnes Abbey Lodge, London) Wednesday 25 March ~ Bee-flies with The Biological Recording Company (online) Wednesday 25 March ~ Walk the Wick! Spring 2026 (Canvey Wick, Essex) Thursday 26 March ~ Terrestrial Invertebrates for Beginners with The Biological Recording Company (Golders Green Quaker Meeting House, London) Friday 27 March ~ Earthworm Sampling Day with The Biological Recording Company (Ealing, London) 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? Love Your Pet, Not Pesticides: New Report Warns of Flea and Tick Treatment Threat to Rivers A new report from wildlife charity Buglife, published on National Love Your Pet Day (20 February), reveals that pesticides from common flea and tick treatments are now widespread in rivers across Britain. Buglife’s desk-based review found both pesticides pose significant risks to aquatic invertebrates, disrupting food webs and ecosystem functions, with knock-on effects for fish and birds. In 2022, fipronil was the highest-ranked organic contaminant in English ground and surface waters, and in 2023, imidacloprid posed the greatest risk across the Greater London catchment. Report front cover: The effects of veterinary tick and flea treatments on freshwater invertebrates and ecosystems Report front cover: The effects of veterinary tick and flea treatments on freshwater invertebrates and ecosystems Read the story… A buzz of hope: will you help Sussex’s amazing pollinators? Small Scabious Mining Bee (Andrena marginata) © Liam Olds Small Scabious Mining Bee (Andrena marginata) © Liam Olds Read the story… Conservation charity Buglife is calling on everyone – from balcony gardeners to landowners – to manage green spaces for pollinators, celebrate these pollinator-friendly spaces and add their habitat to the B-Lines map. In the face of growing threats to wildlife from habitat loss, fragmentation, climate change and chemicals, Buglife is calling on people across the UK to do their bit by creating pollinator-friendly habitats and adding these to the local B-Lines network. Every piece of land can help, no matter the size – from balcony herb garden or sprawling meadows. 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 the Buglife shop Shop News: 🎉 Before Christmas we were delighted to launch our Bug E-Adoptions and they went down a storm! Available to purchase for yourself or as a gift to the bug enthusiast in your life, from just £15. 🖍️ Each virtual adoption pack includes a downloadable certificate, featuring original artwork by the amazing Alexandre Marrigues of Nera Studio, and a factsheet on your adopted species. Check out our cheeky little Zebra Jumping Spider (Salticus scenicus)! 🕷️ Did you know? Zebra Jumping Spider males undertake elaborate dances to woo their chosen female. Waving their front legs and pedipalps (which are two leg-like appendages near their mouthparts) at the female and bobbing their abdomen up and down. Want to know more? Head on over to our shop to adopt one today! Adopt a Bug 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 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 THE HUNT SABOTEURS — CRUELTY EXPOSED BY THE STAG HUNTERS

View this email in your browser Hi, Supporter Carve-ups And Cruelty At The Tiverton Staghounds Graphic Content Throughout As we reported last week, several members of an HSA covert intelligence unit attended a number of West Country staghounds meets in Autumn 2025. This report focuses on the Tiverton Staghounds who on each occasion were witnessed relentlessly hunting, brutal killing and ritually carving-up of mature, healthy stags. Stag killed by Tiverton Staghounds on 1st October 2025. As with the two other West Country stag hunts, the investigation revealed how the Tiverton Staghounds switch effortlessly between Hunting Act loopholes as and when they please. The team also saw how the Tiverton claim - absurdly - to be engaged in trail hunting, using a full pack of hounds and a large vehicle with ‘Trail Layer’ signage (whose exhaust fumes would quickly cover any trail if one was laid!). The Tiverton Staghounds were regularly seen dragging a ‘trail’ along the line taken by the hunted stag after it had passed and - as advised in the infamous Hunting Office webinars - they ensured that hunt supporters were on hand to video the hounds apparently hunting this ‘trail.’ Tiverton ‘Trail Layer’: if you believe this, you’ll believe anything. © Three Counties Hunt Sabs But if this didn’t work, the Tiverton claimed that the stag was “injured” or use their followers like extra hounds to flush the poor animal out so he can be chased again. As with the other two stag hunting packs, the Tiverton simply switched at will between several different loopholes in the 2004 Hunting Act. On 1st October last year, a prime rutting stag was hunted from a meet at Burches Cross, Templeton onto Witheridge Moor where he was chased to exhaustion and finally killed. A broken victim of the Tiverton Staghounds. Just a week later, the Tiverton Staghounds were at Upcott Cross, Bishops Tawton where another mature stag was hunted so hard and for so long that his legs simply gave way beneath him. As soon as the stag was dead, his feet – known as “slots” in hunting parlance – were cut off and handed out as trophies or kept for use in hunt fundraising events. This is not conservation or wildlife management - it is trophy hunting. But the indignity visited on this stag was not over: the huntsman cut open the abdomen, allowing the hounds to eat the intestines straight from the body, with blood pooling across the grass where livestock graze. This practice exposes the countryside to biosecurity and bovine TB risks, including contamination by raw gut matter and organ material. Satanic rites at the Tiverton Staghounds, 11th October 2025. A set of fresh faces from the unit were back at the Tiverton Staghounds on 11th October 2025 at Cobbacombe Cross, Cove and witnessed them kill another healthy stag after a long, gruelling chase over the hills above Stoodleigh. As before the team witnessed the stag’s feet being “slotted” to be given out as trophies to the keenest hunt supporters. To avoid suspicion, yet another new face attended the 18th October meet of the Tiverton Staghounds and witnessed further depravity. Their young victim – described on the day as “more of a springer” by sick hunt supporters - was hunted, turned, and driven for miles before being killed. ‘Turning’ involves hunt supporters screaming at the stag to force him away from areas where he might seek refuge from his tormentors. Their wretched victim was found in Knowstone Wood and ultimately killed at Nomansland but, crucially, the hunt was operating on Devon Wildlife Trust land during the chase. This is supposed to be a refuge for wildlife, not a playground for mounted hunts and marauding packs of hounds who are a law unto themselves. Stag killed by Tiverton Staghounds on 18th October 2025 The unit’s final visit – for now – was 27th October 2025 when the hunt met at Two Posts Cross, Pennymoor. This mature stag was killed at Cadleigh after yet another long, agonising chase. Once dead, he was dragged by the antlers, trussed up and then hung from the back of a quadbike in a final indignity. Stag trussed up and killed by the Tiverton Staghounds, 27th October 2025. Above all else, this investigation reveals how committed, extremist stag hunters are constantly adapting to evade accountability or charges: a ban on ‘trail hunting’ – though urgently needed – will not be enough in itself to stop these hardened hunters in their tracks. Only our comprehensive set of proposals – based on over sixty years of sabotaging all types of bloodsports - will really end hunting with hounds. 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