ANOTHER POST FROM THE HUNT SABOTEURS — PROVING THAT HUNTS ARE CONTINUING TO BREAK LAWS

𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲’𝘀 𝗮 𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗱𝗯𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝘁 Last Saturday, 28th February, the Ledbury Hunt met at Old Colwall. It was a brilliant, warm, sunny day, if still very wet underfoot. Shame it was ruined by this gang of wildlife crims. Sabs anticipated the route the hunt would take well throughout the day, and it’s fair to say the hunt moved on swiftly, on several occasions not drawing woods we expected them to. Thanks to Welsh Border Hunt Sabs who joined us once they were sure the Cotswold Vale Farmers Hunt were not going out. Hounds were hardly heard in cry, that lovely sunshine had fortunately burnt off any fox’s scent. The only exception to this was when hounds were cast into Slatch Wood between Coddington and Bosbury. Hounds went quickly into cry and crossed over, casting around in a field adjacent to the road and Old country Wood. Here all chaos broke out and we are pretty sure the hounds were rioting on deer. Deer were seen fleeing in all directions, and hounds were in and out of Old Country Wood, the surrounding paddocks, and roads, causing absolute havoc. We’re pretty sure the hunt is absolutely not welcome on Old Country Wood, but do they care? Not one bit. Outgoing huntsman, Mark Melladay, could be heard vainly attempting to gather hounds from a distance, while joint master Louise Daly sat on her horse unperturbed as stray hounds held up traffic and went off on jollies in all directions. Eventually, the hunt moved on up the drive to The Riddings while we went round by road nearly as far as Norbridge. Mellady could still be heard gathering hounds. He’d just about got them all on by the time we arrived cross country at The Riddings. The rest of the day was quiet, just the way we like it. Apart, that is, from masked (but we still know who he is) violent terrierman, Ross Loader, threatening to smash one of our sab’s camera. This tells you all you need to know about the Ledbury, happy to keep the likes of Loader around to do their dirty work - which is not limited to carrying terriers around for digging out, but has previously included assaulting sabs. Any info please contact us by text, WhatsApp or phone (evenings best for the latter) on 07347120065 Thank you to everyone who has donated recently. Our vehicle is due in for MOT shortly in readiness for next season, and some visits to the West Country to sab the stag hunts. Support us if you can via the Ko-fi link in our bio.

FROM PROTECT THE WILD — PROTEST IN SILENCE — ABOUT GUGA HUNT OR ANYTHING?

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more “Don’t Silence Us”: Silent Protest Outside Scottish Parliament as Guga Hunt Petition Hits 100,000 DEVON DOCHERTY MAR 9 READ IN APP Today outside the Scottish Parliament, we stood in silence. Tape over our mouths. Not because we had nothing to say. But because more than 100,000 people have spoken out against the Guga hunt - and they are now in danger of being silenced. In less than 48 hours, the Petitions Committee will make their final decision on the fate of Rachel Bigsby’s petition, which calls for an end to the barbaric tradition that sees 10 men bludgeoning baby Gannet chicks to death on the island of Sula Sgeir. At their last meeting on January 21st, the Committee agreed to shortlist the petition as one of the very few allowed to be carried forward to the next session of parliament after May’s elections. Now it’s decision time. On Wednesday, they have two options: close the petition down, or keep it open and carry it forward, allowing MSPs to properly scrutinise the exemption in law that allows the Guga hunt to happen. Sign the petition History in the making Reaching 100,000 signatures is not only a major milestone, it made history. It makes this petition: the largest petition put before this current Scottish government. the fourth most signed petition in Scottish Parliament history. the largest animal welfare petition Scotland has ever seen. That only happened because of each and every one of you who took time out of your day to add your name and take a stand for the Gannets of Sula Sgeir. So thank you. If you haven’t yet added your name, then it’s not too late, but you’ll have to act fast. Sign the petition Next time you hear from us, we’ll be letting you know what Parliament has decided - and where this campaign goes next. Enter our monthly raffle that’s drawn tomorrow! You could win: A Gannet Sculpture Set (created by the wonderful Sarah Brabbin) An Ocean Eco Bottle A Garden Bee Biome Entries are just £1 each, and every penny of profit goes straight back into protecting British wildlife — supporting undercover investigations, bold animations, nationwide campaigns and lobbying, essential field equipment and mental health support for activists, fearless journalism, in-depth reports, and much more. Enter the raffle SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

FROM CORNWALL WILDLIFE TRUST — A REMAINDER OF TEMPERATE RAINFOREST IS NOW SAFE

View this email in your browser Hi John Imagine yourself walking through a quiet Cornish valley. The air is cool with moisture - ferns spill over moss-covered stones, and a nearby stream trickles. Birdsong carries through the trees. You’re standing in temperate rainforest. Once common in Cornwall, this habitat is now incredibly rare. Yet thanks to a remarkable gift in a supporter’s Will, there is hope. West Muchlarnick Farm was left to Cornwall Wildlife Trust with a simple wish: that it would benefit wildlife. Today, it’s the heart of our 50-year Temperate Rainforest Project, restoring much of the land to this rare and beautiful habitat. As a member, you’re already helping create a Cornwall where nature thrives - and we’re so grateful. Some members choose to make that impact last for generations. Not every gift in a Will is a farm. But every single one helps shape the future of Cornwall’s wildlife. Learn about Gifts in Wills here Free Wills Month You may have seen other charities promoting free Will-writing at this time of year. But planning for the future shouldn’t be limited to one or two months in a year. That’s why we’ve partnered with Cornwall based Lacuna Wills and the award winning Make a Will Online, both of which can offer supporters a free Will-writing service, all year round. If you choose to leave a gift in your Will to Cornwall Wildlife Trust, you can help protect and restore precious wild places – and the wildlife that depends on them – so future generations can enjoy them as much as you do. Start your free Will here A lasting gift to Cornwall’s wildlife Many of the people who choose to leave a gift in their Will are members, just like you. They’ve spent years walking Cornwall’s coast paths, exploring rockpools and wandering in ancient woodland - and doing what they can to tackle the growing threats to Cornwall’s wildlife. Including a gift in their Will can feel like a natural next step - a way to protect the places they love long into the future. Every gift, no matter the size, makes a lasting difference. Nature really does bring so much joy. It’s up to all of us to make sure future generations can enjoy it too. Request your free Gifts in Wills brochure here Get in touch - we’d love to hear from you If you’re interested in leaving a gift in your will, or you’re already planning on leaving us a gift, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We'd love to get to know the generous people who choose to remember us in their Will. With warmest wishes, for now and in the future, Tom Mercer Individual Giving Officer Cornwall Wildlife Trust tom.mercer@cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk P.S. If you’ve already chosen to leave a gift to Cornwall Wildlife Trust in your Will, thank you so much. If you’re happy to let us know, we’d love to thank you properly and keep you updated on the difference your future gift could make. Please note: Cornwall Wildlife Trust works with a number of independent will-writing providers to help supporters who wish to make a Will. There is no obligation to leave a gift to Cornwall Wildlife Trust in order to use any of these services. Full details can be found here. 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 CORNWALL WILDLIFE TRUST — HELP REBIRTH OF TEMPERATE RAIN FORESTS BY LEAVING A WILL

View this email in your browser Hi John Imagine yourself walking through a quiet Cornish valley. The air is cool with moisture - ferns spill over moss-covered stones, and a nearby stream trickles. Birdsong carries through the trees. You’re standing in temperate rainforest. Once common in Cornwall, this habitat is now incredibly rare. Yet thanks to a remarkable gift in a supporter’s Will, there is hope. West Muchlarnick Farm was left to Cornwall Wildlife Trust with a simple wish: that it would benefit wildlife. Today, it’s the heart of our 50-year Temperate Rainforest Project, restoring much of the land to this rare and beautiful habitat. As a member, you’re already helping create a Cornwall where nature thrives - and we’re so grateful. Some members choose to make that impact last for generations. Not every gift in a Will is a farm. But every single one helps shape the future of Cornwall’s wildlife. Learn about Gifts in Wills here Free Wills Month You may have seen other charities promoting free Will-writing at this time of year. But planning for the future shouldn’t be limited to one or two months in a year. That’s why we’ve partnered with Cornwall based Lacuna Wills and the award winning Make a Will Online, both of which can offer supporters a free Will-writing service, all year round. If you choose to leave a gift in your Will to Cornwall Wildlife Trust, you can help protect and restore precious wild places – and the wildlife that depends on them – so future generations can enjoy them as much as you do. Start your free Will here A lasting gift to Cornwall’s wildlife Many of the people who choose to leave a gift in their Will are members, just like you. They’ve spent years walking Cornwall’s coast paths, exploring rockpools and wandering in ancient woodland - and doing what they can to tackle the growing threats to Cornwall’s wildlife. Including a gift in their Will can feel like a natural next step - a way to protect the places they love long into the future. Every gift, no matter the size, makes a lasting difference. Nature really does bring so much joy. It’s up to all of us to make sure future generations can enjoy it too. Request your free Gifts in Wills brochure here Get in touch - we’d love to hear from you If you’re interested in leaving a gift in your will, or you’re already planning on leaving us a gift, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We'd love to get to know the generous people who choose to remember us in their Will. With warmest wishes, for now and in the future, Tom Mercer Individual Giving Officer Cornwall Wildlife Trust tom.mercer@cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk P.S. If you’ve already chosen to leave a gift to Cornwall Wildlife Trust in your Will, thank you so much. If you’re happy to let us know, we’d love to thank you properly and keep you updated on the difference your future gift could make. Please note: Cornwall Wildlife Trust works with a number of independent will-writing providers to help supporters who wish to make a Will. There is no obligation to leave a gift to Cornwall Wildlife Trust in order to use any of these services. Full details can be found here. 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 — CONVICTIONS FOR HUNTERS. ARE WE GETTING SOMEWHERE WITH LAW & ORDER

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Hunting Update - Two hunters found guilty of assaults on sabs and more TOM ANDERSON MAR 6 ∙ GUEST POST READ IN APP February 2026 saw several hunt members convicted for violence against wildlife and wildlife defenders alike. Meanwhile - as we wait for the Labour government to make good on its promise to ban the facade of ‘trail hunting’ - UK hunts have recently been caught on camera killing hares, foxes and deer. As usual, their actions show a complete disregard for the Hunting Act. Also in this update: Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan is calling on the government to tighten up all the loopholes in the Hunting Act, not just some. We name and shame the worst UK hunts, according to the statistics. In late January, Northants Hunt Saboteurs caught terriermen hired by the Cottesmore Hunt red-handed as they were digging out a badger sett. This shameful action came barely a month after the British Hound Sports Association caved to pressure and issued guidance that fox hunts should not engage in terrierwork. Hunts across the UK continued to cause havoc on the roads as their hounds ran out of control. One dog was tragically killed in Teeside while a hunt in North Wales abandoned another. February 2026 saw several convictions for hunt-related violence On 19 February Protect the Wild reported the dramatic conviction of Philip Saunders, huntsman for the Pipewell Foot Beagles, who admitted breaking Section 1 of the Hunting Act after encouraging hounds to kill a hare. Footage taken by wildlife defender Emma Reed went viral, leading to Saunders’ arrest. Saunders even had his hunting horn confiscated by the court. But the charges that had been brought against master and whipper-in Rachael Lenton as well as the Pipewell Foot Beagles Limited as a body corporate were dropped. The prosecution against Sam Jones of the Cottesmore Hunt, however, was unsuccessful. Jones was on trial for an incident on 18 January 2025 where he is heard “doubling” his hunting horn, urging the pack on toward a fox. His acquittal by Leicester Magistrates Court on 5 February prompted Northants Hunt Saboteurs to write that “the law is not fit for purpose and is continuing to fail wildlife.” During February there have been two other hunt-related convictions for violence against wildlife defenders. Nathan Goulding, joint hunt-master of the Cotswold Vale Farmers Hunt, was found guilty of assault and battery after he rode his horse at two female hunt saboteurs during a hunt meet on 21 January this year. His case was heard in Cheltenham Magistrates Court on 20 February. The Hunt Saboteurs Association wrote: “Hunts should know that the days of assaulting sabs with impunity from the law are over, and that the internet has a very long memory. Well done to Welsh Border Hunt Sabs for pursuing this conviction.” The court ordered Goulding to pay £676 in court costs and issued him with a six-month conditional discharge (essentially a slap on the wrist). Banned from using a shotgun Toby Flemming, Convicted of common assault, image courtesy of Suffolk/Norfolk Hunt Saboteurs. On 4 February, Norfolk/Suffolk Hunt Saboteurs (NSHS) reported that Toby Flemming - the owner of Eastgate Farm in Marham - was ordered to pay a fine of £1536 after being convicted of common assault on a lone female wildlife defender. Flemming also had his shotgun license revoked. NSHS wrote on their Facebook page: “We hope not to see him with a shotgun shooting hares. We will be watching you.” The group told Protect the Wild: “All of us at Norfolk and Suffolk Hunt Sabs welcome the conviction of Toby Flemming. There are far too many attacks on Sabs that are ignored or cases messed up or lost. We are glad the right outcome happened here. We are also happy his shotgun license was revoked so he can’t kill any more hares this year.” Hunt sab headbutted The cases of Goulding and Flemming are by no means isolated incidents. In fact, yet another hunt member was arrested on 24 January. Beds & Bucks Hunt Saboteurs (BBHS) were working that day with Peterborough Hunt Sabs, trying to prevent wildlife crimes by the Fitzwilliam Hunt. BBHS described on their Facebook page how Fitzwilliam huntsman Shaun Parish: “became highly agitated and abusive after he was prevented from hunting and proceeded to dismount his horse and act in an aggressive manner” At the same time, Fitzwilliam rider George Kennedy used a horse as a weapon to pin a sab up against a tree. The whole incident was filmed by sabs and Parish was arrested by officers from Cambridgeshire Police after he headbutted one activist, then took off his riding hat and hit them in the face with it. The three convictions above, together with the violence by the Fitzwilliam Hunt, show once again the menace that hunts pose to our wildlife and to members of the public. As parliament dithers over when to hold the consultation over Labour’s long-promised ban on ‘trail hunting’, hunts are left to run wild. If you’ve been affected by violence and abuse from the hunt it can be useful to get mental health support. Protect the Wild is funding a trained counsellor who can provide sessions to monitors and sabs. Click here to find out more. Check out our Protectors of the Wild page on ‘Assaults and the Law’. Donate to Welsh Border Hunt Sabs here. Help Norfolk/Suffolk Hunt Saboteurs buy more body cameras, to enable them to pursue convictions like the one against Toby Flemming. Click here to donate. Support Beds & Bucks Hunt Saboteurs. Labour’s Neil Duncan-Jordan calls for an end to the falconry exemption The government has confirmed - in answer to a written question by Montgomery and Glyndŵr Labour MP Neil Steve Witherden - that it has made “no assessment” of the effectiveness of the falconry exemption, which governs the use of birds of prey in fox hunting, and it has no plans to close up the loophole. The 2004 Hunting Act’s falconry exemption states that “flushing a wild mammal from cover is exempt hunting if undertaken… for the purpose of enabling a bird of prey to hunt the wild mammal”. Unlike other exemptions contained in the Hunting Act, this one doesn’t contain a two-dog limit. As a result, a full pack of hunting hounds is legally able to flush out a fox or hare for a bird of prey to then kill. Since 2004, ‘falconry’ has provided a ready-made smokescreen for hunts to get away with hunting with hounds. In 2005, DEFRA noted its concern that many hunts were rushing to buy raptors, as the presence of the birds at a hunt is a sure-fire way to establish plausible deniability over whether hunts are intending to flout the law. In 2018, the falconry exemption was tested out in court in 2018 when huntsman George Adams and falconer John Mease of the Fitzwilliam Hunt found themselves in the dock. Adams was convicted of illegal hunting, but Mease was acquitted on the grounds that the hounds on the day were not his responsibility. Minister confirms that exemption will not be reviewed Witherden had asked what assessment has been made by DEFRA of the effectiveness of exemptions permitting the use of birds of prey in fox hunting activities; and whether it planned to review its policies. Dame Angela Eagle - Labour minister for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - replied that: “The department has made no assessment of the effectiveness of exemptions permitting the use of birds of prey in fox hunting activities and has no plans to review those provisions.” From Neil Duncan-Jordan’s Facebook page. Duncan-Jordan: ‘This loophole has got to go!’ Poole’s Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan has expressed concern to the Minister over the response. He wrote: “The falconry exemption is a classic smokescreen for hunting with hounds. You wouldn’t fox hunt with a falcon - the British Hawk Board warns against even attempting it. A hunter was even caught on tape calling the exemption “a good wheeze”. This loophole has got to go! We need a truly watertight ban that removes the covers used to kill wildlife. I’ve warned ministers for months: a narrow focus on trail hunting alone won’t cut it.” According to Protect the Wild’s Rob Pownall: “It’s absurd that the government says it won’t even look at the falconry exemption when hunts routinely hide behind exemptions like this to continue their sordid activities. If we’re serious about a watertight ban on hunting, every exemption and every loophole must be properly examined and closed.” Use Protect the Wild’s automated tool to email your MP and demand that they ensure that Labour follows through with enacting a proper ban on hunting, including closing ALL the loopholes. Foxes, deer and hares killed by hunts during February Hunts have continued their cruel bloodsport over the last month, and it’s not just foxes that have fallen victim. The Rural Crime Team at Cambridgeshire Constabulary is investigating the killing of a hare by the Thurlow Hunt on 26 January at Horse Heath in Cambridgeshire. North London Hunt Saboteurs released this GRAPHIC FOOTAGE: On 9 February, the Thurlow’s hounds killed another hare, this time near Weston Colville in Suffolk. Deer fall victim too On 21 February, Northants Hunt Saboteurs reported that the Cottesmore Hunt’s pack ripped apart and killed what appeared to be a muntjac deer. Huntsman Sam Jones, undeterred by his recent brush with the law, disposed of the animal’s body. They wrote: “Jones can be seen dismounting his horse to pick up the dead animal and toss it over the saddle of his horse. We can’t be 100% sure that this wasn’t a fox but what we can be certain of is that the Cottesmore killed a wild mammal and have been caught out again! A life is a life and the Cottesmore have sadly taken another.” https://scontent-lhr6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/638949465_1313139297513939_3205214613719368077_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=7b2446&_nc_ohc=mCN_m4Hz3qUQ7kNvwF-B4Vn&_nc_oc=Adn-ts2hRZPFIuqRu-LTCPp__kGgvXo7ZNHDLkEpywuVGBQZeYAe8DyWDWXgpvj15Nk&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr6-1.xx&_nc_gid=IANC1oKUEGJiicINdvobag&_nc_ss=8&oh=00_AfxKtgkAcYbHGim7kZmLFGWacZ789rh6wQMA1pkVNSVdbg&oe=69ADEF89 Sam Jones hoists the body of the muntjac onto his saddle - courtesy of NHS The Middleton Hunt’s pack also mauled a deer on 31 January, and police were called to put the animal down. Calder Valley Hunt Saboteurs wrote angrily: “Is no animal safe from these killers?” Fox’s tail ‘a sick trophy’ Several foxes were killed too in February. On the same day as the muntjac was killed, Herefordshire Hunt Saboteurs caught the Herefordshire and Clifton Hunt’s terriermen blocking up a badger sett. They were dismayed to find that they had arrived too late. A fox’s brush lay on the ground like “a sick trophy of the kill”. That day, Cirencester Illegal Hunt Watch, Bristol Hunt Saboteurs and Wiltshire Hunt Saboteurs also sabbed the Beaufort Hunt, who blocked up badger setts, terrorised wildlife, and killed yet another fox. As Labour continues to sit on its hands, wildlife is paying the price. Please help North London Hunt Saboteurs carry on the fight against the likes of the Thurlow. They are currently fundraising money needed for their 4x4s. You can make a donation to their ongoing work here. Donate to support Northants Hunt Sabs to protect wildlife from the menace of the Cottesmore. Check out Cirencester Illegal Hunt Watch. Make a contribution to Herefordshire Hunt Saboteurs and/or to Calder Valley Hunt Saboteurs. Which are the worst hunts in the UK? Ever wondered which hunts are the biggest menace to wildlife and wildlife defenders in the UK? Protect the Wild was asked this question by a supporter recently. We put together these statistics from the data we’ve been collecting since 2023, gathered from open-source reports shared by hunt saboteurs and monitors. hunt supporter punches campaigner boxing day 2025 Violence is common at hunt events. This picture shows a hunt supporter punching a wildlife defender on Boxing Day 2025. Here’s what we came up with... The data below shows numbers of foxes chased, foxes killed as well as major and minor attacks on wildlife defenders and other members of the public. As you can see, some of the UK’s worst hunts are: Gloucestershire’s Beaufort Hunt, King Charles and Camilla’s old hunting crew, who Protect the Wild and the Hunt Investigation Team filmed shooting their hunting hounds in the head after they were no longer deemed of use to the hunt. North Dorset based Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt (BSV) are consistently high up on the list too. They shocked Channel 4 viewers in 2024 when the tearing up of a fox in a residential garden at Pelsham Farm the previous year hit the headlines. Four of them were convicted under the Hunting Act last year. They are notoriously violent to members of the public too - in 2024, Dorset Police Rural Crime Team arrested two men associated with the BSV Hunt after a string of attacks against hunt sabs and their property. The East Midlands-based Cottesmore are up there as well. They have become infamous for hiring thugs to attack sabs and their vehicles. Dorset’s Cattistock Hunt is also worth a mention. They were caught red-handed last year killing a fox at Abbotsbury Swannery and narrowly escaped conviction in 2023 after chasing a fox onto a railway line. Finally, last ‘season’s’ top three included Devon’s Eggesford Hunt, who shocked wildlife defenders last year when they began 2025 by killing a fox and a deer at two separate meets. Cheshire’s Wynnstay Hunt - another group that has been hiring thugs to attack sabs and monitors - was observed killing the highest number of foxes last ‘season’. They were caught in the act 11 times, according to Protect the Wild’s figures. These six hunts stand out when you look at the number of foxes that sabs and monitors have observed being chased and killed over the past three years, coupled with reports of violence toward wildlife defenders and other members of the public. However, there are sadly plenty more who are worthy of mention for other reasons. The figures speak for themselves really. We thought they might be a handy guide for those of us who aren’t up for waiting for parliament to finally act and tighten the loopholes to allow this barbaric bloodsport to continue. Hunt saboteurs and wildlife monitors are the frontline defence for our wildlife. If you’re not already in touch with your local group, why not make 2026 the year to get involved. Check out the Hunt Saboteurs Association’s list of local sab groups. Cottesmore terriermen caught red-handed on a dig-out Despite the British Hound Sports Associations’ (BHSA) December 2025 ruling that ‘terrierwork’ should be separated from supposed ‘trail-hunting’, the Cottesmore Hunt has been carrying on business as usual regardless. Terriermen flee from a dig out, after being caught red-handed by Northants Hunt Sabs - photo courtesy of NHS. During the Hunting Office’s leaked Zoom webinars held in 2020, Mark Hankinson (then Director of the Masters of Foxhounds Association) described terriermen as the “soft underbelly“ of so-called ‘trail hunting’. Hankinson used the phrase because it is impossible to justify the presence of terriermen - whose traditional role is to ‘dig out’ foxes - during a ‘trail hunt’. The BHSA made their ruling at the end of last year, in a move that smacked of desperation. Their decision came as the government was renewing its promises to hold a consultation on a ban on ‘trail hunting’ and in the wake of the arrests of members of several hunts, following the filming of a dig out at a meet organised by the Coniston Foxhounds. Cottesmore terriermen flee On 20 January, Northants Hunt Saboteurs (NHS) caught the Cottesmore Hunt’s balaclava-clad terriermen busy trying to dig a fox from a badger sett. NHS described the reaction of the terriermen: “Hunt terrier-men, so desperate not to be identified fled the scene leaving their poor bloodied terrier behind. The terrified abandoned terrier eventually ran away.” This bloodied terrier was abandoned at the scene - picture courtesy of NHS. NHS wrote on their Facebook page: “Hunting cannot regulate itself, in our recommendations for the amended Hunting Act we are calling on the government to bring an end to all current exemptions.” Terriermen were a regular feature of hunt meets during February 2026, despite the BHSA’s supposed ban in late 2025. Check out the HSA’s recent report, What Terrier Man Ban? At Protect the Wild we also oppose the cruelty of ‘terrierwork’. Please check out our campaign to end ‘terrierwork’ here. Sign our petition calling for a proper ban on hunting, and check out our proposal for a workable ban on the hunting of mammals with hounds. And here’s another reminder to donate to support the awesome Northants Hunt Saboteurs if you can. Foxhound killed on the road in Teeside In the last month several hounds have been lost, injured or killed on the roads, showing once again that hunts couldn’t care less about them. Zetland Hunt Hound killed on road - Via TABS On 28 January, Teeside-Anti Bloodsports (TABS) reported that a hound belonging to the Zetland Hunt had tragically been killed on the High Coniscliffe-Piercebridge Road. On top of that, Northants Hunt Sabs videoed a hunting dog being hit by a car as the Fitzwilliam Hunt’s pack pursued a fox across a road on 31 January. Hound abandoned by the hunt Wildlife photographer Richard Bowler was surprised to find a lost foxhound on his property on 01 February in North Wales. Despite shouting “Does anyone want their hound back” repeatedly, he couldn’t find the hunt. It seemed clear that they weren’t looking for the lost hound. Eventually, Bowler was able to return the dog to people who knew the local hunt. The reports of killed, injured and lost hounds are all too common. Hunts treat dogs as tools, not like the sentient beings they are. Bowler wrote angrily on Facebook: “This is another reason why hunting with dogs needs to be banned, I’ve lost count of the days I had to protect our property from this gun pack. Only last year I had to see a fox to safety being chased by their hounds.” Check out Protect the Wild’s Hunt Havoc website, detailing the road chaos caused on a regular basis by hunts across the UK. Image of Boxing Day Hunt violence via Screenshot/Glen Black. Picture of Toby Flemming via Norfolk/Suffolk Hunt Saboteurs. Image of Kestrel perching on gloved hand via David White/Unsplash. Picture of Zetland Hunt Hound killed on road courtesy of Teeside-Anti Blood Sports. Video of abandoned hound in North Wales from wildlife photographer Richard Bowler’s Facebook. Image of Sam Jones and the slain muntjac deer courtesy of Northants Hunt Saboteurs. Thanks again to all the wildlife defenders who have let us use their footage and pictures. Sabs and monitors often put themselves at significant personal risk to get these images. We appreciate and admire all of the groups and individuals working to end the cruelty of hunting. A guest post by Tom Anderson Journalist for Protect the Wild Subscribe to Tom SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

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

A WONDERFUL UPDATE FROM CORNWALL WILDLIFE TRUST — WHY NOT JOIN?

View this email in your browser THANK YOU WEEK 2026 Hi John Today is our annual ‘Thank-a-thon' – a day when members of our team take a little time to write messages, pick up the phone, and simply say thank you. It gives us a chance to celebrate the people who make everything we do possible. People like you. Your membership helps protect wildlife and wild places across Cornwall. From woodlands, moors, tors, and flower-rich meadows to rivers, estuaries, coast, and seas - your support is vital and so appreciated. Take a look at this short film we made to say thank you and share a few moments from the past year: What your support has achieved Here are just a few glimpses of what your support has helped to achieve: Wild beaver releases In February 2026, we celebrated the first fully licensed release of wild beavers in the county - a landmark moment for nature recovery in Cornwall. These remarkable animals are already shaping rivers and wetlands, helping ecosystems flourish. You can read more about the recent release of wild beavers here. Temperate rainforest restoration Tree-planting has now begun to restore rare temperate rainforest at West Muchlarnick. With 28,000 trees planned over the next 3 years, the project will see 30 hectares of this precious habitat restored over the next 50 years. You can read more about our temperate rainforest project here. Seagrass seed planting Cornwall’s estuaries, 16,000 seagrass seeds were planted in 2025 - creating the foundation for new meadows that will help clean our waters, capture carbon, and create safe havens for a variety of marine life for generations to come. You can read more about seagrass meadows and their benefits for nature here. While we can’t call or write to everyone in a single day, we want you to know that your support means the world to us. With that in mind, this is a small message to say how grateful we are for all that you make possible. If you do happen to receive a call from us, please know we won’t be asking for anything. We’ll just be saying thanks, and perhaps asking about the wildlife and wild places you love most. You’re someone who takes action to help nature. From where we’re standing, that’s pretty amazing – so from everyone here, thank you for being a wildlife hero. With gratitude, Cornwall Wildlife Trust 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.

GREAT NEWS FROM THE RIGHT TO ROAMERS — A SHORT FILM TO WATCH

Can't see this message? View in browser   Announcing OUR LAND: a feature film about the Right to Roam Campaign Dear Roamers, We’ve been keeping this under wraps but now the news is out! This spring will see the launch of a new feature film about our fight to defend and extend access to nature across England and Wales. OUR LAND, directed by Orban Wallace and shot by the team at Gallivant Film, follows the Right to Roam campaign as we trespass vast estates and fight the removal of rights on Dartmoor and beyond. Interwoven throughout are the perspectives of three aristocratic landowners, exploring the debates, tensions and fraught history of land ownership and land access in the UK. It’s a beautiful film and we’re really pleased with the outcome. It’s not for the campaign – the directors are not taking a stance. But in our view, the facts speak for themselves! With preview showings at cinemas all over the country, followed by a national release (and hopefully a streaming platform to follow) the film will be a brilliant vehicle to reach new audiences and gain political traction. Please WATCH AND SHARE the trailer here. Find a preview screening near you here. Booking links and further preview screenings will be updated periodically by the distributors. Previews will run from early March through to early May, when the film will see a national release. With the help of our local group network we’ll be doing as many Q&As at screenings as we can. Go along, watch the film, talk about it with friends and family, and share the trailer wherever you can. Local Group Gathering This month we had our first ever in-person gathering of local groups, with representatives from RTR chapters from every region of England. It was a really heartening experience and testament to the strength of a network which has grown with a shoestring budget. The ideas were flowing thick and fast and we’ve co-developed a great plan of action to seize the political agenda in the year to come. So if you haven’t already, now’s a great time to get involved with your local group. Some exciting action is in the works… Right to Roam Kent Chapter …On which note we’re very pleased to announce the birth of a fresh Right to Roam chapter in Kent. R2R Kent will be hosting their very first social this coming spring. If you’re based in the Garden of England please pop along to meet our organisers and see how you can get involved in setting up the chapter, organising, hosting, spreading the good word and more. Where William Camden Pub on Avenue Road, Bexleyheath, DAT 4QE When From 6:30pm, Monday 16th March The pub has food, a car park with electric car charging and is two minutes from Bexleyheath train station. Email righttoroamkent@gmail.com to confirm your attendance or if you have any questions. Please spread the word to any friends and family in the area who you think might be keen to get involved. Facebook A quick note that we've now linked our Instagram account to Facebook. So if that's your preferred platform, you can follow us here and you'll see all the same content across both sites. You can find links to our other social media platforms at the bottom left of this newsletter (don't worry we're not actually on 'X' anymore: the icon links through to Bluesky). BMC Wild Camping Survey Our friends at the British Mountaineering Council are gathering data on what wild camping means to the people who do it – what's the impact it has on them, and how does it connect them to nature, landscapes, and to other people? Do you wild camp? If so, you can contribute to their survey here. Spring at last. Praise Old Mossface. Keep roaming! Jon on behalf of the Right to Roam team ---------- Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. Want to get involved? Visit our website here. We're powered by supporters and run on a shoestring. Can you help keep us going? Become a campaign supporter here. OUR LAND A journey over the walls that divide us Take Action Visit our social accounts Check out our site   This email was sent from this site. If you no longer wish to receive this email, change your email preferences here.

FROM PROTECT THE WILD — BROKEN PROMISES ON THE HUNTING BAN?

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Labour and 'trail hunting': promises but still no ban. Labour has been promising to tighten up the loopholes in the Hunting Act for years. TOM ANDERSON FEB 23 ∙ GUEST POST READ IN APP In June 2024 the Labour Manifesto pledged to ban ‘trail hunting‘, but the killing still goes on. In January 2026 alone, Protect the Wild reported that at least four hunt packs were filmed ripping up foxes and killing a hare on camera, showing blatant disregard for the law. During the 2024-2025 hunting ‘season’ Protect the Wild documented 411 incidents of hunting hounds chasing or killing foxes at observed meets. When the figures are scaled up to the total number of fox hunt meets throughout the season, this means that 3,772 foxes were potentially persecuted. The government repeatedly stated that a consultation on the ban would take place in 2025: that was moved to early 2026. Ministers recently said that the consultation process would begin in March. We’re still waiting... It’s pretty clear that, despite repeated statements that their animal welfare programmes is the “most ambitious in a generation”, preventing animal suffering isn’t top of the Labour Party agenda. Tellingly, Keir Starmer has never once spoken about the proposed ‘trail hunting’ ban in parliament. There is, however, huge public support for the ban and pressure from both inside and outside the party to make good on their manifesto pledge. Meanwhile, on Tuesday 17 February, members of the League Against Cruel Sports demonstrated in London calling on Labour to keep their promises. They dumped 648 stuffed foxes outside the National Portrait Gallery, signifying the 648 foxes they say have been illegally chased since the Summer of 2024. Fake foxes covered in blood with League ‘hunter’ on the streets of London outside the National Gallery - via League Against Cruel Sports Of course, pro-hunt advocates are working hard to make sure that the promised ‘trail hunting’ ban never comes into effect. Key Tory opponents of the ban in recent parliamentary debates have been Stuart Anderson and Tory Baroness Caroline Balingall Mckintosh. Reform’s Nigel Farage and Suella Braverman have been getting in on the action too. ‘Every month of inaction means continued suffering for wildlife’ We urge Labour to make good on its election pledge and ban ‘trail hunting’, which provides a smokescreen for hunting foxes with hounds. Protect the Wild’s Rob Pownall says: “Labour promised to strengthen the Hunting Act and finally close the loopholes that allow trail hunting to mask illegal fox hunting. Delaying this consultation sends the wrong message. Every month of inaction means continued suffering for wildlife and continued lawbreaking in the countryside.” Houses of Parliament, by Adrian Pingstone/Wikimedia. Here’s a timeline of Labour’s promises since their 2024 manifesto: June 2024 - The Labour Party pledged to ban ‘trail hunting’ in its 2024 Election Manifesto. 4/5 July 2024 - Labour wins the general election, and Keir Starmer’s government is sworn in. 17 July 2024 - Ruth Jones, a backbench Labour MP for Newport and Islwyn, expresses disappointment that Labour’s animal welfare measures didn’t make it into the King’s Speech. She urges her party to ensure that it makes good on these pledges. 18 July 2024 - Baroness Hayman of Ullock, then parliamentary undersecretary for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, stated: “We are developing plans to enable us to tackle the horrendous crimes of puppy smuggling and puppy farming, to close loopholes on trail hunting and to ban snares and the import of hunting trophies.” 25 July 2024 - Labour’s junior minister for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Mary Creagh affirms that the party were “proudly elected on a promise” to ban ‘trail hunting’. 26 July 2024 - Labour’s then Environment, Food and Rural Affairs minister Daniel Zeichner references the party’s commitment to banning ‘trail hunting’, proclaiming “The Government has committed to introducing the most ambitious programme for animal welfare in a generation.” September/October/November 2024 - Creagh responds to written questions from Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs affirming that: “The Government is committed to enacting a ban on Trail Hunting, and work to determine the best approach for doing so is ongoing. Further announcements will be made in due course.” October 2024 - In an open letter signed by a number of British activists and celebrities, Protect the Wild calls on the Labour government to make good on its commitment to ban ‘trail hunting’. 14 October 2024 - Labour’s Luke Pollard announces for the Ministry of Defence (MOD) that no licenses for ‘trail hunting’ have been issued for the 2024-5 hunting ‘season’. MOD minister Maria Eagle later states that the license are under review, in line with Labour’s intention to ban ‘trail hunting’. 2 December 2024 - Creagh states that a meeting has taken place between “officials with an interest” in the promised ban on ‘trail hunting’ “in order to consider its implications on their work. As this work is ongoing, no concrete outcomes have been determined as yet.” December 2024/January 2025/ February 2025 - Baroness Hayman and Creagh continue to make statements that work on a ‘trail hunting’ ban is ongoing. 4 March 2025: Zeichner says that the government has organised a series of meetings with “key animal welfare stakeholders” on animal rights issues, including banning ‘trail hunting’. [caption id=”attachment_69136” align=”aligncenter” width=”406”] This beautiful fox was killed by the Portman Hunt in January 2026, as parliament dithered. Image North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs ‘Trail Hunting’ consultation promised in 2025 April 1 2025 - In a Parliamentary ‘adjournment debate’ on ‘Trail Hunting called by Camborne and Redruth Labour MP Perran Moon, Zeichner promises that the government would consult on the proposed ban on ‘trail hunting’ later in 2025. 27 April 2025 - Zeichner says that work to ban ‘trail hunting’ is still “at a very early stage and there is not yet an agreed timetable”. 28 April 2025 - Baroness Hayman tells Tory Viscount Astor in response to a written question that pro-hunt groups such as the British Hound Sports Association, which includes as members hunts which regularly break the existing legislation, will be able to take part in the consultation. 26 June 2025 - Zeichner reassures a Liberal Democrat spokesperson that work is ongoing to get the consultation underway. Throughout June, Creagh and Zeichner make repeated statements that the consultation is ongoing. 30 June 2025 - In a written answer, Zeichner states: “The Government has committed to a ban on trail hunting. Work to determine the best approach for doing so is ongoing and further announcements will be made in due course.” In a parliamentary debate on driven grouse shooting the same day Zeichner affirmed that banning trail hunting “is a manifesto commitment, and this Government keep their commitments.” 30 July 2025 - More than 60 MPs called on the government to release a timetable for their promised consultation. 11 September 2025 - Dame Angela Eagle, the new minister for Environment, Food and Rural affairs confirms in writing to Poole’s Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan that “work is ongoing” and an announcement will be made soon. 19 September 2025: Eagle asserts that Labour are “committed” to running the consultation “to ensure those with an interest can input.” She also reaffirms the governments committment to the ban. Consultation moved to early 2026 29 October 2025 - Eagle reconfirms commitment to the ban in an answer to a written parliamentary question and says the consultation will be “early next year”. She stated in detail that: “The nature of trail hunting makes it very difficult to do safely. The use of large packs of hounds reduces the control huntsmen have, putting wild mammals, household pets and even members of the public at risk. Trail hunting also provides a convenient cover for those seeking to participate in illegal hunting activities by obscuring their intention and enabling the inevitable chasing of animals to be labelled as ‘accidental’. This is why we want an effective, enforceable ban that truly protects our wildlife, countryside, and rural communities.” Show Quoted Content “The nature of trail hunting makes it very difficult to do safely. The use of large packs of hounds reduces the control huntsmen have, putting wild mammals, household pets and even members of the public at risk. Trail hunting also provides a convenient cover for those seeking to participate in illegal hunting activities by obscuring their intention and enabling the inevitable chasing of animals to be labelled as ‘accidental’. This is why we want an effective, enforceable ban that truly protects our wildlife, countryside, and rural communities.” 13 November 2025 - Alan Campbell, leader of the House of Commons, restated that Labour “remains committed to banning trail hunting; we will consult on how to deliver the ban in the new year.” 24 and 26 November, 4 December, 9 December Eagle repeatedly reaffirms that the consultation will take place next year. 16 December 2025 - In response to a written question, Eagle replies, “we will consult on how to deliver a ban in the new year. Legislation will be introduced when Parliamentary time allows.” 18 December 2025 - Emma Reynolds, Labour Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs stated that the hunting consultation would be “in the New Year”. 22 December 2025 - Reynolds sets out the government’s new Animal Welfare Strategy. It states: “We are a nation of animal lovers. People across the country care deeply for animals. The UK has a proud history of being pioneers when it comes to ensuring the very best for them. This Government is committed to safeguarding the welfare of animals for the long term, and we are changing how we will deliver the improvements needed to achieve the most ambitious reforms to animal welfare in a generation.” Show Quoted Content “We are a nation of animal lovers. People across the country care deeply for animals. The UK has a proud history of being pioneers when it comes to ensuring the very best for them. This Government is committed to safeguarding the welfare of animals for the long term, and we are changing how we will deliver the improvements needed to achieve the most ambitious reforms to animal welfare in a generation.” The policy reiterates an intention to ban trail hunting and for a consultation to take place. 7 January 2026 - Parliamentary Debate on Rural Communities - Eagle states: “The ban on trail hunting was in our manifesto, and we are consulting on how to put it into effect.” 11 January 2026 - In a written response to Labour MP Perran Moon, Eagle opts not to answer whether “bodies which have disregarded existing hunting law will be ruled out of playing a role in shaping future hunting law” as part of the consultation. She does, however, reiterate that the consultation will take place. 15 January 2026 - In response to Tory Shadow Health Secretary Stuart Andrews’ questions about the supposed effect of a ban on rural communities, Eagle states that the consultation “will be used to inform our assessment of the potential impact of a ban on trail hunting on the economy in rural communities” and that opinions will be elicited from “all quarters, including from rural stakeholders and trail hunting organisations.” 21 January 2026 - Parliamentary debate on Labour’s animal welfare strategy - Eagle states, “we will ban trail hunting. The nature of trail hunting makes it difficult to ensure that wild mammals are not put at risk, and we intend to launch a consultation very soon”. 29 January 2026 - Eagle affirms that the government will “introduce legislation to ban the activity of trail hunting when Parliamentary time allows.” She also reasserts plans for the consultation. Her comments were in response to a question about the government’s timeline for fulfilling its election promise by Labour MP for Rushcliffe James Naish. 29 January 2026 - Eagles states that the consultation will take place “early this year”. She reiterated the government’s commitment in a written answer to a question by Reform UK’s Suella Braverman the same day. She gave the same answer at least twice more that day. 11 February 2026 - Perran Moon asks what criteria parliament will apply when deciding “which organisations are invited to participate in the forthcoming consultation on banning trail hunting; and whether bodies which have disregarded existing hunting law will be ruled out of playing a role in shaping future hunting law”. Baroness Hayman gave a hollow reply, but did reiterate that the government still planned on the consultation taking place. 12 February 2026 - Poole’s Labour MP Neil Duncan Jordan receives assurances from Hayman that the government’s consultation on banning trail hunting will take place by March at the latest. selective focus photography of orange fox during daytime Photo by Yuriy Chemerys on Unsplash The consultation has been pushed back yet again. Each week that Labour dithers over its promised ban on trail hunting, foxes are dying. Please use Protect the Wild’s automated tool to email your MP and demand that they ensure that the consultation takes place as planned and that Labour follows through with enacting a proper ban on hunting. Sign our petition calling for a proper ban on hunting, and check out our proposal for a workable ban on the hunting of mammals with hounds. Read our 2024-2025 report: ‘20 Years on: The True Face of Hunting with Hounds in 2025’. Image of National Gallery protest via League Against Cruel Sports. Photograph of parliament via Adrian Pingstone/Wikimedia. Image of fox killed by the Portman Hunt in January 2026, courtesy of North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs. Sleeping fox picture via Lachlan Gowen on Unsplash. Support Protect the Wild with a small monthly donation We only ask for a few pounds a month because our strength isn’t big donors or hidden backers. It’s thousands of ordinary people chipping in small amounts. Together, that becomes unstoppable. Your support powers everything we do to defend British wildlife: undercover investigations, hard-hitting animations, fearless journalism, detailed reports, equipment and mental health support for activists, protests, and pressure campaigns that hold the powerful to account. Our goal is 300 new monthly supporters. We’re currently at 152 Support Protect the Wild A guest post by Tom Anderson Journalist for Protect the Wild Subscribe to Tom SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

THE POLLUTERS OF OUR RIVERS ARE GETTIN AAY WITH IT — SEE CHANNEL 4 DOCUMENTARY

View in browser Dear John, Did you catch the first episode of "Dirty Business" last night on Channel 4? It’s a heartbreaking look at how polluters and a failing system that continuously lets them break the rules have devastated lives and poisoned ecosystems. If you missed it, you might believe this was just another TV drama. But it’s not – it’s real life. Despite the UK government’s promises of action, our water crisis hasn’t gone away. Our rivers are polluted, beaches are filthy and wildlife is vanishing. Who’s to blame? Polluting companies and a succession of governments that keep letting them off the hook. But here’s a ray of hope – a new water bill is coming. It could put people and nature before profit. But we have a long way to go to make sure the government gets it right. There are no quick fixes to the challenges we face. But together, we can push for stronger protections, public health safeguards and real accountability. Will you help me and my team keep up the pressure? Your regular gift will power us to challenge decision makers and fight for the clean rivers and seas we all deserve. I'LL JOIN WITH A REGULAR GIFT Regular gifts allow us to act fast, plan ahead and stay independent. They are our lifeline in the fight for people and planet. Let’s make sure this bill delivers lasting protection for our water, health and wildlife. For generations to come. With hope, Kierra Campaigner, Friends of the Earth PS See my original email below to find out more. I emailed last month to tell you how our rivers, lakes and seas are threatened by corporate pollution. And to highlight how we’re taking action – in a few weeks nearly 25,000 people have signed our petition demanding that the government take action. Because it’s been dragging its feet. The government promised to crack down on water pollution more than a year ago. The Water Commission told it urgent action was needed last summer. But it took until January for a published vision for water to emerge. And MPs won’t see an expected new water law for months. Meanwhile, corporates – the water companies, industrial farms and other industries – are pocketing massive profits from environmental ruin. This needs to change. Urgently. Will you help to make that change happen? Our campaign for clean water needs your support – with a donation you can make 2026 the year polluters clean up their act. I'LL JOIN WITH A REGULAR GIFT Whether it’s water companies pumping sewage into our seas, toxic slurry from factory farms or forever chemicals seeping into waterways – polluters are still contaminating our water. The new water bill will come out later this year. And it could finally hold polluters to account. But there’s a risk this new law will let them off the hook again. We can’t let that happen. Unlike the corporations, our work relies on donations from people like you – we’re truly people powered. We need you to make our successes possible. Will you help us get a win for water in 2026? I'LL JOIN WITH A REGULAR GIFT With hope, Kierra Friends of the Earth PS Don’t worry if you can’t donate today – you’re already having a huge impact. About us Supporter promise Privacy policy Contact us DONATE This email was sent to spanishjohnedwards@gmail.com Want to change how you receive these emails? Unsubscribe from this list We send communications to our supporters who have opted in to receive emails from us. Friends of the Earth Limited. Reg. No. 01012357. Incorporated in England and Wales. Registered office: Friends of the Earth The Printworks 139 Clapham Road London, SW9 0HP United Kingdom Copyright © Friends of the Earth Limited

MORE SIGNATURES REQUIRED TO END THE GUGA HUNT - ANOTHER POST FROM PROTECT THE WILD

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Time Is Running Out to Stop the Guga Hunt DEVON DOCHERTY FEB 20 READ IN APP More than 25,000 people have now signed our petition calling on NatureScot to stop licensing the Guga hunt - the annual mass-killing of Gannet seabird chicks on the Scottish island of Sula Sgeir in the name of ‘tradition’ and local delicacy. Thank you to every single one of you who has added your name. But the truth is, it’s not enough. We know there are more of you that disagree with this abhorrent hunt. This Substack regularly receives double that amount of readership, which means thousands of people who care deeply about wildlife have not yet added their names. So we have something to ask you. On 12th March, we will travel to NatureScot’s headquarters in Inverness to deliver this petition by hand. Will you help us double the signatures by that deadline? Sign the petition 50,000 is not an arbitrary number. It is almost the entire population of Inverness. Imagine the power of delivering a petition backed by the equivalent of the entire city around them. An entire city stood together saying: enough is enough. No more baby bashing. No more jumping through hoops trying to justify the unjustifiable. No more Guga hunt. The clock is ticking. We are in a critical window. The 2025 license has expired. When the 2026 license application is received, it will be brought before NatureScot’s Board for decision. The hunters have watched the opposition swelling, and they are digging in their heels. They killed 485 chicks last year. Those lives are gone and they aren’t coming back. But we have a chance to protect their survivors if we act now. An application could land any day. When it does, NatureScot’s deliberations will move quickly behind closed doors. If we want to influence the result, we must act immediately before another licence is granted without challenge. We are meeting NatureScot We are soon meeting directly with NatureScot’s licensing team to discuss our concerns. We are prepared to escalate if no meaningful progress is made. We have a mountain of evidence to suggest they are failing to meet the evidential thresholds required when licensing this hunt. We will not hesitate to deploy that evidence through all the available channels, including legal action. The scrutiny they’ve avoided for years is now catching up with them. Together with your support, we will make sure NatureScot is finally held to account for their role in allowing this needless cruelty to continue, but we need you to act now. Sign the petition Act now Time is running out. An application is coming. A decision will follow. And once it’s made, it’s too late. We hand this petition in on 12th March. Help us to make it huge. Sign the petition if you haven’t already. Share it widely. Help us reach 50,000 before 12th March. Let’s make sure that when we walk into NatureScot HQ, we are carrying more than paper. Let’s make sure we are carrying a movement. Sign the petition SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

INSPIRED BY ROB POWNALL OF PROTECT THE WILD AND JOURNALIST TOM ANDERSON

THANKS TO ROB POWNALL OF PROTECT THE WILD AND TO TOM ANDERSON, A JOURNALIST, WRITNG A GUEST BLOG FOR ROB AND WHICH PROMPTED ME TO WRITE THIS PIECE. I have been minded for far too long to create my own thoughts into words about the unfair hypocritical world in which we have no choice but to live and exist. I have blogged for years — copy and paste — the clear and brave writing of many writers and activists who are too many to mention. Selecting one or so names would be unfair to the plethora of others. I am maddened about the debate on fox hunters, the sham of ‘trail hunting’, of terriermen and cubbing. But it all goes much further than that. We can bellow about any form of hunting where the object is to kill, to let the hounds at man’s behest to rip apart a living mammal. Why, I ask? I fail to understand and do not accept that tradition and custom are allowed to over-ride the urge to needlessly kill. At ground level, on the same turf, where a iconic brown hare has its home we can only crane our necks to look up, to keep on looking up, at the hierarchical pyramid of power. I stepped outside during writing the previous lines to glance at the moon. The old lady was lying on her back which would mean that it would be a dry quarter. No rain so the country folk could get on with their work. It’s a bloody myth of course but harmlessly so compared with the myth that is perpetuated by The Royal Family where our King is our leader and also a hunting shooting fishing man. There is no denying that because it has been well documented. Today, I read and copied an eleven page document written by Tom Anderson, a journalist, who created this post for Protect the Wild. The heading reads ‘King Charles’ new ‘Finding Harmony’ documentary is deeply hypocritical.’ I urge everyone to read these pages as it directly and succinctly gets to the core of problem where wildlife is the ‘plaything’ of the powerful. The simple fact that it was seen as an important matter to create a vision that our King feels the need to be in harmony with the natural world Is ridiculous. He needs to be in harmony with us and not hiding behind power, tradition and deceit. You an see all on Amazon Prime where Kate Winslett — a well know face to cinema goers — was required to give it some relevance to us — the ‘common people’ who have been too long subjugated.

THE PIPEWELL FOOT BEAGLES CONVICTEDOF HUNTING & KILLING A BROWN HARE BUT THERE IS MORE

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Pipewell Foot Beagles huntsman pleads GUILTY after pack kills hare Pack guilty of killing a hare on Boughton Estate GLEN BLACK FEB 19 READ IN APP Planned for three days, the trial of the Pipewell Foot Beagles and two of its members ended dramatically less than an hour into day two after the huntsman changed his plea. Philip Saunders, huntsman for the Pipewell Beagles, admitted breaking Section 1 of the Hunting Act after encouraging hounds to kill a hare. He was sentenced to £5000 in fines and costs. However, the charges against master and whipper-in Rachael Lenton as well as the Pipewell Foot Beagles Limited as a body corporate were dropped. The trial began on a dramatic note after Judge Community Protection Warning (CPW) lawyer Neil Sands and district judge Amar Mehta raised the possibility of the hunt forfeiting its hounds should it be found guilty. This gave the defence pause for thought, but it decided nonetheless to continue with not guilty pleas. The wheels on the defence’s case began falling off almost immediately after two witnesses for Boughton Estate - where the killing occurred - stated the hunt only had permission for hound exercise and not for trail hunting. Though not explicitly stated in court, had there been guilty verdicts all round, Boughton Estate may have also have been liable under Section 3 of the Hunting Act. Sam Rees and former huntsman George Whittaker, estate manager and security manager respectively, protected the estate by distancing itself from the Pipewell Foot Beagles. On day two, defence lawyer Stephen Welford initially cross-examined Lenton, during which the master-whip twice stated “absolutely not” to questions of whether the huntsman had encouraged hounds to pursue the hare. Lenton also said she didn’t see the hare even after the hounds had killed the creature. Instead, she claimed to Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) lawyer Sands that she and Saunders were trail hunting an artificially laid scent made of Scoot, a fox repellant, which huntsman Saunders had variously claimed during his testimony on day one both was and was not mixed with rabbit scent. Lenton attempted to clarify this confusion by saying the hunt once used a synthetic rabbit scent but now uses “pure Scoot”, although at no point on day one or two was it clarified why they allegedly used fox repellent as a scent mixture. However, the inconsistency Lenton attempted to smooth over was only part of the problem. Saunders’ testimony on day one had been contradictory throughout. The huntsman wasn’t able to explain why during his initial police interview he didn’t name the ten hunt supporters who witnessed the incident. He also failed to name four of the five alleged trail layers on the day, and had only named the fifth person a week before the trial. Had the trial gone ahead when initially planned in November 2025, there would have been no names at all. Saunders even stated that he didn’t know what was happening when the hounds were huddled together in the middle of a field despite also having said he’d been involved with hunting since before the Hunting Act. Crucially, he also said he hadn’t reported the kill to the British Hound Sports Authority (BHSA) as required by the organisation’s own rules. It was this detail around reporting to the BHSA that ultimately unravelled the case. “There are consequences to their actions” Sands picked up on an inconsistency in Lenton’s testimony regarding this detail. He questioned whether she was familiar with the BHSA’s rules regarding reporting ‘accidental’ kills. Lenton confirmed she did. However, when Sands asked whether she had done so, Lenton’s reply produced confusion amongst both Sands and Judge Mahta. Lenton at first stated she’d reported it twice to the BHSA. After further questioning by Sands, though, she clarified that the two times were: By phone the day after the incident, to let the BHSA know about the presence of an anti-hunt monitor, though she also claimed that she wasn’t aware of a dead hare at the time so couldn’t have mentioned a kill to them. When the BHSA sent Welford to support her in her police interview (three months after the incident) regarding the kill, by which time she was aware of the dead hare, and believed Welford was present on behalf of the BHSA and would therefore report back the details to the organisation. This led to a sudden break in proceedings, initiated by Sands and resulting in Welford leaving the courtroom alongside convicted former huntsman and current head of the BHSA, Julian Barnfield, who was sitting in the gallery throughout the trial. Sands and Welford returned several minutes later with the defence lawyer requesting that the judge hear Saunders’ plea again. This time, less than an hour into day two of the trial, Saunders plead guilty to his charge of breaching Section 1 of the Hunting Act by killing a hare. As a result, Judge Mahta ordered Saunders to pay a £1000 fine, £3600 in court costs due to the late plea, and a £400 victim surcharge. In summary, Mehta stated that: “A strong message must go out to those who engage in this activity, that the courts and public will not tolerate when animals are harmed. That was the whole point of the Act coming into force.” Significantly, following a request by Sands, the judge also ordered Saunders to forfeit his hunting horn for destruction. In making the order, Mehta said: “This instrument was used in the demise of a protected animal and it’s important that those who watch these proceedings understand there are consequences for those actions. … The hunting community will understand there are consequences to their actions.” Saunders guilty plea also resulted in the CPS dropping charges against Lenton and the Pipewell Foot Beagles Ltd. The latter was necessary because, at the time of the incident, only Lenton was a director of the company, so dropping charges against her meant the company was no longer liable. Image taken by Emma Reed So what happened? Following the trial, Sands explained that Lenton’s testimony had implicated Welford himself. By claiming she believed Welford was acting on behalf of the BHSA and that she had expected him to report back to the organisation, the defence lawyer had become a witness in his own case. Furthermore, police inquiries during the investigation hadn’t resulted in any evidence that Lenton had contacted the BSHA about the incident in any way. As a result, Welford would need to be cross-examined in the trial, but Lenton’s claim was new evidence, which would have required entirely new proceedings to be undertaken. It is likely Welford would also have had to state that Lenton’s claims were false, meaning he would testify against his own client. To avoid this, Welford protected himself and the hunt as a whole by having Saunders change his plea. As huntsman, Saunders was primarily responsible for the hounds and therefore the most culpable. Having given a stumbling and convoluted testimony on day one, during which he made various claims as to his innocence, Saunders was put in a position of having to take the fall for Lenton, the Pipewell Beagles Limited, the BHSA and even Welford himself by admitting he was lying under oath. A unique and symbolic conviction This is only the second beagle pack to have had its members face legal consequences for illegally hunting hares. The previous case was back in 2010, when police cautioned the Wick and District Beagles, with the hunt calling it quits the following year. A huntsman later reformed it as the still-active Severn Vale Beagles. Whilst fox hunting is the headline-grabbing form of hunting, hare hunting lurks in the background as its lesser-known but oftentimes more lethal sibling. Overshadowed in public discourse by hare coursing, there are nonetheless approximately 60 active packs of beagles and bassets across England and Wales. In our report on the 2024/25 hunting season, Protect the Wild found 23 reports of foot packs chasing hares and a further two killing hares (including the Pipewell Foot Beagles incident). However, this figure masks a truer figure due to beagle and basset packs receiving much less attention than fox hunts. Protect the Wild therefore concluded that a conservative estimate for hares persecuted during the season was 6522. With that number in mind, for there to have been just one conviction in 20 years of the Hunting Act reflects how significant the conviction against the Pipewell Foot Beagles really is. Following the trial, Emma Reed, who filmed the footage that convicted the hunt, told Protect the Wild: “I am very pleased with the guilty verdict and and how it has exposed this hunt’s actions and behaviour. The myth of trail hunting has once again been undermined. I would also like to acknowledge and thank the CPS, which has been very professional and committed to obtaining this conviction. “At a time when the government are supposedly consulting over the introduction of a ban on trail hunting, this is yet another example of why it can’t come quick enough. Wildlife is being terrorised and killed week in, week out, and we have to say enough is enough. Pressure must be applied to the government at every opportunity so it acts on their manifesto pledge to ban this barbaric pastime properly and forever.” The conviction finally shows that hare-hunting foot packs aren’t immune to the law. Whilst the conviction was gained at the loss of two equally significant charges, the outcome sets a precedent that beagle and basset packs can’t hide behind their fox hunting counterparts forever. Judge Mehta’s order to destroy the hunting horn is a symbol of how both public opinion and the law are finally catching up with all hunts two decades after the ban was introduced. We asked Emma if there was a group she’d like us to give a shout-out to, and she suggested Animals in Need Northamptonshire 😊 If you’d like to support their brilliant work, you can donate here SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing