PROTECT THE WILD - THEIR FOURTH MONTHLY UPDATE OF ‘EYE ON THE WILD’

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Eye on the Wild - Your weekly roundup of British wildlife news Eye on the Wild #4 ELIZA EGRET JUN 21 READ IN APP Welcome to the fourth edition of Eye on the Wild, our new weekly roundup designed to keep you up to date with the latest stories concerning British wildlife. Each week, we’ll share important news, updates and stories from across the UK, including issues, species, and campaigns that may not always make the headlines. We’ll also highlight ways you can help and take action for wildlife. If you have a story you think we should cover, email us at contact@protectthewild.org.uk Natural history will soon be a GCSE subject! The government has announced news that natural history is one step closer to being taught in classrooms. One of the core aims of the GCSE is for students to acquire deep knowledge of the species and habitats that make up the natural world in the UK. The GCSE will include at least 20 hours of fieldwork, and pupils will develop hands-on research skills through documenting field evidence, using classification systems and analysing data. Pupils will learn the effect of destructive human activities on wildlife and habitats, and learn how to protect them. The government frames the new GCSE around advantages for the British workforce, stating that the GCSE will “grow next generation of green careers”. But at Protect the Wild, we believe the real value is simpler: children who grow up knowing nature, and therefore wanting to be proper custodians of it. If you’re a teacher, parent or pupil, the government wants your say on what’s in the curriculum. The consultation runs until 4 September. Make your voice heard and help shape a generation of young conservationists. Fill in the consultation Hazel dormice have been released into woodland More than 40 hazel dormice have been released into ancient woodland in Leicestershire. This was the second release of the dormice onto the Bradgate Park Trust estate, as part of a national reintroduction programme by the People's Trust for Endangered Species. UK populations have decreased by 70% since 2000. They are now locally extinct in 20 English counties. Loss of woodland and hedgerows, changes to traditional land management, and the effects of climate change, are all contributing to the hazel dormouse's decline. Dormice sleep through most of the day and come alive at night, climbing trees in search of hazelnuts, berries and insects. They spend five months of the year hibernating, and they even snore! Each release is a small but vital step in reversing the hazel dormouse's decline before it's too late. Dog guardians are responsible for the decline of Little Tern numbers at a key breeding colony People with dogs must act more responsibly as Little Tern numbers have fallen steeply at a key UK seabird colony. Populations have decreased by 50% at Seaton Carew near Hartlepool. Just 55 nesting pairs have been recorded, half the number volunteers had hoped for. In May, Tees Valley Wildlife Trust volunteer wardens recorded 427 cases where dogs were inside the exclusion zone. In June, there were 93 cases on one day alone. Even brief disturbances can cause adult birds to abandon their nests, leaving eggs and chicks vulnerable. Little Terns migrate thousands of miles from West Africa each spring to nest on UK beaches. Their numbers have fallen 39% since the 1980s due to habitat loss, disturbance and predation. Hartlepool Borough Council stated that dog guardians should: respect the dog exclusion zone, keep dogs on leads near the nesting area, respect the fencing and warning signage, give wildlife plenty of space. Of course, this advice applies at all beaches that are used as nesting sites in the UK. A top private school hunt has been caught illegally killing a hare with children present On 4 June, Stowe School huntsman Philip Kennedy pleaded guilty to hunting a wild mammal with dogs. A member of the public's drone footage caught the hunt in the act on 13 November 2025. Kennedy shook hands with hunt members while his hounds mauled the hare. He was fined a pitiful £258 and ordered to pay £585 court costs and a £103 victim surcharge. The hare’s life was practically worthless in the eyes of the law. Stowe School in Buckinghamshire is one of Britain's most exclusive boarding schools. In his role as huntsman, Kennedy was listed as part of the Games department on the Stowe School website. Just after he was convicted, the school removed the listing. Schools like Stowe, Eton College and Radley College are grooming the next generation of hunters and indoctrinating children into a world of violence. Kennedy's conviction follows a familiar pattern. It’s a token punishment that changes nothing for him or the hunt. The Hunt Saboteurs Association has released footage of the gruesome reality of stag hunting On 11 June, the HSA released footage of the Devon & Somerset Stag Hounds terrorising a hind, with hunt master Steve Coates in shot. You can view the video here. The HSA stated: “Her back leg is visibly broken or dislocated and is hanging uselessly as she cowers in deep water, desperately trying to hide against the bank. Two hounds are deliberately allowed to torment her at close range while she stands spent, trembling, and in total physical collapse – the so-called “at bay” moment so beloved of the stag hunters.” Stag hunting is possibly the UK’s most gruesome blood sport. Hunters use a variety of transport methods to murder deer, including quad bikes, motorbikes and on horseback. It is near-impossible for a stag to escape. When he is exhausted from an hours-long chase, he collapses. He is then shot by a gun-carrier, his throat is slit, and his body is divided up as different trophy parts. The HSA video is yet more proof that whoever is Prime Minister - Starmer or Burnham - they need to immediately act to protect wildlife from lunatics like those in the Devon and Somerset Stag Hounds. Dorset and Somerset Bassets huntsman has been convicted of illegal hunting On 18 June, huntsman Charlie Ford was convicted of hunting a hare. Ford was in charge of the pack and made no attempt to stop or recall the dogs from the hare. The incident took place in Bagber, Dorset, on 13 October 2024. This hunt, which routinely breaks the law as it terrorises hares, is owned by famous racehorse trainer Colin Tizzard. Ford was fined a measly £648, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £259, as well as court costs of £650. Meanwhile, three members of the notorious Beaufort Hunt have been charged under the Hunting Act this week, after killing a fox on 20 December 2025. Charges and convictions damage hunt reputations. But reputational damage isn’t enough. Labour has the power to ban hunting for good, if it has the political will to do so. SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

PROTECT THE WILD STEALS THE NEWS IN MAKERFIELD ALONGSIDE ANDY BURNHAM

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Millions saw our message: PROTECT BRITISH WILDLIFE JUN 19 READ IN APP In the early hours of this morning, I found myself standing on a stage beside Andy Burnham, one of the most influential politicians in Britain and a man many believe could one day become Prime Minister. Millions of people watching national television coverage saw one clear message: Protect British Wildlife. There was no escaping it. I stood as a candidate in the Makerfield by-election for one reason: to force British wildlife into a political conversation that too often ignores it. While the broadcasters l cut away from my impromptu speech (watch below), they could not avoid the message itself. Standing directly beside the winning candidate, with cameras broadcasting across the country, I was able to put the plight of British wildlife front and centre. And that matters. Because despite promises of change, wildlife continue to be pushed to the bottom of the political agenda. A Government Failing Wildlife The current Government came into office promising a better future for animals. Yet since taking power, we have seen a series of deeply disappointing reversals. Plans to ban trophy hunting imports have been abandoned. Promised action on foie gras imports has disappeared. Badger culling continued for two years and despite now having ended there, the Govt has still not ruled out the possibility of it coming back. Meanwhile, wildlife protections continue to be weakened in favour of development, and species across Britain remain in decline. Now the Government has just finished consulting on the future of hunting. That is welcome. But consultation alone is not enough. There is still no clear commitment to removing all of the loopholes and exemptions in the 2004 Hunting Act that allow hunts to continue operating. There is still no timetable for legislation. And there remains genuine concern that reforms could fall short of what animals desperately need. Taking the Message Directly to Andy Burnham Before the count, I had the opportunity to speak directly with Andy Burnham. I told him plainly that his party has failed British wildlife. I explained that since coming into power, the Government has U-turned on key animal protection promises while making life easier for developers and harder for wildlife. I urged him that if he is serious about becoming Prime Minister in the future, he must show leadership on issues that matter to millions of people who care about animals. That means finally ending fox hunting for good. It means committing to a complete end to the badger cull. And it means recognising that British wildlife cannot continue to be treated as an afterthought. Interestingly, when I asked for a photograph with Andy before the results were declared while holding a sign reading “Protect British Wildlife”, his team declined the request. Perhaps not the most encouraging start for a politician with national ambitions. To his credit, Andy listened to what I had to say. And he pointed out that he had voted to ban fox hunting during his time as an MP, and said he heard my concerns and appreciated me raising them. Fortunately, once the results were announced, there was no avoiding the message. Standing directly beside Andy on the stage, with cameras and photographers capturing the moment from every angle, the words “Protect British Wildlife” were broadcast and photographed nationwide. We won’t stop fighting. Thank you for your incredible support as always, onwards and upwards! Donate to Protect the Wild SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

FRIENDS OF THE EARTH - SUPPORT THEM

View in browser Dear John, Since my email last week, over 30,000 of you have signed our petition calling on the UK government to stop its needless attacks on nature. Now, with Andy Burnham’s election win in Makerfield, the potential Labour leadership race is heating up — so this is our moment to demand a change of direction and an end to the bat-bashing. Let’s push for a future where wildlife thrives and ecosystems recover. Future generations are counting on us. I'LL SIGN THE PETITION I’ve pasted my original email below for more info. Best wishes, Sienna Dear John, UK food production could one day collapse because of biodiversity loss, according to the Joint Intelligence Committee [1]. Put simply, without thriving wildlife and ecosystems, worldwide and at home, the UK won’t be able to feed itself. And yet the UK government continues to blame the environmental protections we all rely on for the country’s economic woes. But with a Labour leadership battle on the horizon, now is the time to demand an end to the government’s needless attacks on nature. I'LL SIGN THE PETITION From the loss of pollinators like bees and butterflies, to the dangers of depleted soils, drought and floods, the Joint Intelligence Committee pinpointed biodiversity loss as one of the biggest threats to domestic food production. It should be obvious – strong ecosystems and biodiversity make the UK more resilient. So why does the government pretend nature is a threat to development [2]? It’s the exact opposite. Research shows that protecting nature is even a vote winner. So with turmoil at the top of government, now’s the time to tell politicians to change course. And turn things around for the sake of future generations. I'LL SIGN THE PETITION Thriving nature means a thriving UK. Let’s make it happen. Sienna, Campaigner, Friends of the Earth NOTES: [1] Nature security assessment on global biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and national security, Gov.uk. [2] Government rolls back nature protections to boost housing, BBC News. 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

PROTECT THE WILD - LABOUR MP DEFENDS THE GUGA HUNT BUT GETS HIS FACTS WRONG - FUNNY BUT SAD

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Labour MP Loses his Temper at Guga Hunt Protestors He accused us of “attention-seeking” “virtue-signalling” behaviour and of having a “saviour-complex” DEVON DOCHERTY JUN 18 READ IN APP We appear to have pissed off a Labour MP. Allow us to explain why we're not sorry. Torcuil Crichton, Labour MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar (the Western Isles in Scotland), accused us and other anti-Guga hunt campaigners of “attention-seeking” “virtue-signalling” behaviour and of having a “saviour-complex” for trying to stop the annual killing of Gannet chicks by hunters in his constituency. END THE GUGA HUNT It seems Mr Crichton simply could not accept that there are people in the world who have a problem with 10 men sailing to a protected native seabird colony, bashing Gannet chicks to death in front of their parents, and selling the carcasses for a profit. Torcuil released a new public statement, where he said the campaign to end the Guga hunt was “fuelled by a lack of real purpose in life”. He even went on to insult our infamous Gannet suit: ”The ‘Goo-ga’ campaign does fall into the virtue-signalling camp of activism and to prove their commitment someone undertook a sweat-drenched election campaign in a penguin suit (he didn’t look anything like a gannet) and was willing to put others at risk by climbing onto the roof of a public building.” We suggest Mr Crichton might want to take a trip to Specsavers if he thought our tailor-made Gannet costume was a penguin. Unfortunately, a man so busy looking down his nose at wildlife campaigners appears to have lost sight of the people he was elected to represent - many of whom oppose the Guga hunt, but are afraid to speak out because of exactly the kind of dismissive, belittling rhetoric his statement exemplifies. We have personally been in touch with people from the Islands who vehemently disagree with the hunt, but fear ostracisation from the community if they speak out. And when their elected MP is publicly mocking and ridiculing those who oppose the hunt, is it any wonder? Mr Crichton’s statement also suggests he may have confused our founder, Rob, standing as a giant Gannet in the Scottish Parliament election with the activist who climbed onto the roof of NatureScot’s offices in a direct action protest. The latter was an action carried out by a completely separate campaign group, Abolish the Guga Hunt. For someone so keen to lecture others on the issue, Torcuil seems surprisingly unfamiliar with even the most basic facts. Then again, this is the same man who mistook a Gannet for a penguin. He went on to defend the hunt by saying: “The guga harvest is an essential part of the history, culture and identity of Ness. It is conducted with due reverence to sustainability and importantly to what it means to the continuation of the living tradition of the islands.” Tradition, culture, identity…these are the exact same arguments Labour rightly rejected when they banned fox hunting. And now they claim Labour is “the only party that can be trusted on animal welfare”. I don’t think that claim can accommodate a practice that even the SSPCA opposes on welfare grounds. So Mr Crichton would be wise to look at the history and stated values of his own party. He is right about one thing though - the Guga hunt is part of the history of Ness. But that is exactly where it should stay, because the mass slaughter of native wildlife clearly has no place in Scotland’s future. No amount of huffing, puffing or parliamentary pearl-clutching will change that. If Torcuil's tirade tells us anything, it's that this campaign is getting noticed. And if that worries him, wait until he sees how many more people sign the petition after we send this email. Button below. DO US PROUD! SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

STOWE BEAGLES - THEY MUST BE ON THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM AT PRIVATE SCHOOL

View this email in your browser Hi, Supporter Sick Private School Hunt Guilty of Killing Hare The huntsman of a boarding school beagle pack pleaded guilty to illegal hunting last week, after shocking drone footage caught them killing a hare and then congratulating each other. Philip Kennedy shakes hands to congratulate another hunt member - believed to be a school boy - as they stand over the scene of the kill Phillip Kennedy, 48, kennel huntsman of the Stowe Beagles - the hunt of the prestigious Buckinghamshire private school of the same name - pleaded guilty to the illegal hunting of a wild mammal with dogs contrary to the Hunting Act 2005 at Northampton Magistrates Court on Thursday 4th June. Drone footage of the incident shows a hare being chased by the pack across a field, as hunt members watch on, before the hare is caught and killed by beagles on a fence line. The hare is pursued across a field by the pack of beagles before being caught and killed on a fence line. Hunt members can be seen watching the chase from the field side Within moments of the kill, three hunt members - some believed to be schoolboys - reach the scene and immediately shake hands to congratulate each other. Shortly afterwards, more hunt members arrive and the celebrations are repeated as the pack of beagles ‘break up’ the killed hare. The incident happened on land belonging to Crockwell Farm, a wedding venue and B&B near Eydon in Northamptonshire, on 13th November 2025 after the hunt met there. Philip Kennedy and other hunt members again congratulate each other with celebratory hand shakes as the pack pull apart the killed hare Kennedy, listed on the Stowe School’s website with the ‘Stowe Beagles’ position in the ‘Games Department,’ was fined a pathetic £258, with a victim surcharge of £103 and CPS costs of £585. Stowe is one of a number of exclusive schools and colleges that has its own pack of beagles, offering hunting as part of their extra curricular activities. Students take on active positions in the hunt such as hunting hounds, whipping-in or taking positions on the hunt mastership. A Hunt Saboteurs Association spokesperson said, “Once again, we have another court case and more footage shining a light on the illegal activities of hunts today, this time a hare killing beagle pack." “The sick celebrations of these hunters lay bare their intent. But what makes this case even more shocking is the fact that school children were not only present and participating, but that the illegal activity was organised and facilitated by their school!” “This isn’t just an illegal hunting and animal cruelty issue - it’s a safeguarding issue.” “We need to see urgent action by the Government, bringing forward a real ban on hunting with hounds, and for school hunts such as the Stowe Beagles to be shut down with immediate effect.” Over the last twenty years, the hunters have proved themselves to be absolutely determined to carry on hunting. To stop them we need a ban on trail hunting - together with our other recommendations - to produce a watertight ban that even the extremist hunters cannot overcome. You can complete the trail hunting consultation here Complete the Trail Hunting Consultation 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

THE SHOOTING INDUSTRY DOES NOT WANT US TO KNOW ABOUT THIS - BEAK GUARDS ARE NOT NATURAL

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more The shooting industry doesn't want you to see this PROTECT THE WILD JUN 9 READ IN APP Many of our readers have been in touch to ask about the strange plastic devices visible on the beaks of birds in some of the images we’ve used with previous articles. Many of us won’t have seen these things before, but what you are seeing are called beak guards — or “bits” — and in the next few articles we will explain why they are used and how they are fitted. We think you will be shocked. We were. Beak guards, also known as “bits,” are small plastic devices clipped through a bird’s nostrils to prevent the beak from closing fully. Plastic spectacles - rigid plastic blinders fitted over a male pheasant’s eyes to block his forward vision - are sometimes used alongside them: if they cannot see another pheasant directly in front of them, the thinking of the farm operator goes, they are significantly less likely to attack or chase each other. Become a Game Changer Become a Game Changer Neither the poultry nor the shooting industry promotes these devices as standard husbandry. Quite the opposite. Industry guidance is explicit: beak guards and bits are temporary management aids, to be used only as a last resort when all other interventions have failed. In fact, guidance makes clear that they should never be the default response to aggression. Environmental changes - more space, improved lighting, better enrichment, reduced stocking density - must be attempted first. This is the exact quote from the government’s ‘Code of practice for the welfare of gamebirds reared for sporting purposes’ (the highlighting is ours): 5.1 The use of management devices or practices that do not allow birds to fully express their range of normal behaviours should not be considered as routine and keepers should work towards the ideal of management systems that do not require these devices. Such devices and practices include mutilations such as beak trimming, procedures to prevent or limit flight such as brailing (placing a band on a wing to prevent extension of the wing), trimming of non-sensitive flight feathers and the use of bits, spectacles and hoods to prevent feather pecking, egg eating or aggression. “Should not be considered as routine.” Heart of England, the pheasant and partridge breeding farm where an undercover investigator worked for a month, did not treat bits as a last resort. Our investigators found that fitting them WAS entirely routine. At Heart of England, bird after bird was fitted with a plastic beak guard. Not some birds. Not birds showing extreme aggression. Almost all of them. Even sick birds. Even hen pheasants nearly blind with Mycoplasma. Can you imagine the suffering of the birds in the images below? The ‘life’ these poor birds were ‘living’. No, we can’t either… Become a Game Changer Regardless of whether individual animals had shown any aggressive behaviour at all, they were fitted with guards. This is not a welfare intervention. This is a production system that has accepted - and planned for - a level of animal suffering so routine that mutilating every bird’s face has simply become part of the process. It also tells us that the people running this farm knew, or should have known, that their conditions were causing birds to attack one another. Aggression, feather pecking, even cannibalism - the behaviours that bits are designed to suppress - do not emerge in well-managed, low-stress environments. They are the product of confinement, overcrowding, boredom and fear. These are stress responses. They are what happens when social animals with strong instincts to roam, forage, dustbathe and escape are denied all of those things. When ‘enrichment’ is a wooden board, and birds are stacked on top of each other in ‘colony cages’. It tells you everything you need to know about what life is like inside facilities like these - and why birds like pheasants have no place in a cage. Rather than address those root causes, Heart of England reached for the plastic clip. It is a revealing choice. The farm’s answer to the problem of birds living in conditions that drive them to harm one another was not to change the conditions. It was to change the birds. To physically prevent them from acting on impulses that their environment was producing in the first place. This is the logic of the factory farm. When animals behave like animals, don’t fix the system: fix the animal. How typical of an industry that complacently congratulates itself on its ‘welfare standards’ while cramming birds in bare cages for months then selling them to shoots for hobbyists to blow out of the air. The implications go far beyond one farm, though. Pheasants are not domesticated animals. They are legally classified as wild birds in the UK, and the industry that breeds them commercially trades heavily on that identity. These are “wild” birds, we are told, released to live freely and naturally. But the image of the wild pheasant sits in sharp contradiction with the reality of a shed full of birds with plastic clips on their faces, unable to peck, unable to behave normally, trapped in conditions so inadequate that without physical restraint they would tear each other apart. There is no humane version of this system. The need for universal bitting is not a management failure at Heart of England specifically - it is proof of a structural impossibility. Pheasants are wild birds. Cage them in large numbers, deny them the space and stimulation their nature demands, and conflict is not a risk to be managed. It is a certainty. The bit is not the solution to that problem. It is the admission that the problem cannot be solved. In our next article, we will show you what the fitting of these devices actually looks like. Birds grabbed, held upside down in ‘bunches’, carried to a table or upturned crates full of scared pheasants, and pinned down while a plastic clip is forced through their nostrils. You can see the terror in their eyes. The footage is difficult to watch. You may want to look away. We are asking you not to. We are asking you to stay with it, to witness what these birds - and millions like them in breeding farms across the country - endured every single day without choice, without relief, and without anyone to speak for them - until now. The birds couldn’t turn away. Neither should we. Images and video recorded by our undercover investigator at Heart of England in 2025. We are working to END BIRD SHOOTING. This suffering has to stop. Please share this article. Share our socials. Follow us for updates. End Bird Shooting Over the coming months our campaign will look at the shooting industry at every level. We will highlight the suppliers — the farms, hatcheries, importers and breeders producing tens of millions of birds under conditions that would provoke public outcry if applied to any other animal. We will expose the providers — the estates and syndicates that take those factory-farmed birds and sell the experience of killing them as leisure. And we will look at the clients — the paying guns who are fully aware of the wildlife crime, the trapping of native predators, and the mass suffering involved, and who have decided that none of it is reason enough to stay away. This industry survives because suppliers supply, providers provide, and clients pay. We intend to examine them all. We are working to END BIRD SHOOTING. This suffering has to stop. Please share this article. Share our socials. Follow us for updates. Join the movement. Become a Game Changer. We are at the beginning of something. Months of undercover work. Hundreds of hours of footage. Farms across the UK exposed. And we are only just getting started. But investigations alone do not end industries. People do. We are asking you to become a Game Changer. To stand with us as we take this fight forward, week by week, piece by piece, until the public, the media and the politicians can no longer look away. The first 500 people to sign up will receive a limited edition pin badge. This is the beginning. Be part of it. Become a Game Changer SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

THIS IS THE LAST CHANCE FOR CONSULTATION TO BAN TRAIL HUNTING SAY PROTECT THE WILD

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more This is your LAST CHANCE to fill in the consultation to ban trail hunting ELIZA EGRET JUN 17 READ IN APP The government’s public consultation on plans to ban trail hunting closes tomorrow! This is a rare opportunity to push for real change: not tweaks, not loopholes, but a clear, enforceable ban on hunting with hounds. We’ve reviewed the consultation in detail and set out how we recommend supporters respond. Click on the button below and send your personal response directly to Defra in under 30 seconds. Respond to Defra Trail hunting is a practice widely used as a cover for illegal fox hunting and the killing of other mammals. It’s been more than two decades since the Hunting Act came into force, and the majority of hunts have largely ignored the law, continuing to hunt wildlife as before. On the rare occasions police have investigated, hunts have claimed to be following a pre-laid scent trail, known as trail hunting, and that any kills were purely accidental. Labour has promised to finally close the loopholes that allow trail hunting to mask as a legal sport. This is the party’s chance to consign the hunting of wildlife to the history books. The hunting lobby will undoubtedly be doing everything in its power to influence Labour and carve out loopholes, allowing them to terrorise and kill wildlife with impunity. So we need to make our voices loudly heard for the animals that can't speak for themselves. Fill in the government consultation now. Every response counts. Respond to Defra 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 - STOP BIRD SHOOTING - BUY THEIR BADGES

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Support the fight to end bird shooting! PROTECT THE WILD JUN 14 READ IN APP We’re so excited to release these limited-edition End Bird Shooting pin badges, designed by the brilliant Ben Sinclair from Fire Lily Studio. Every badge helps fund our campaign to expose and end the bird shooting industry. If you’ve been following our recent investigations and articles, you’ll know we’re only just getting started. Buy a Pin Badge We’re building something much bigger: more investigations, more exposés, more people speaking out, and a growing movement determined to end the mass breeding and killing of birds for sport. There are only 500 badges available and when they’re gone, they’re gone. Get yours, wear it proudly, and help us build the movement. SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

FROM BIRDLIFE INTERNATIONAL

View email in browser Hi John, Some of the most important work we do is also the hardest to see. It happens in meeting rooms with diplomatic conversations, shared evidence, and years of persistence. For birds that see no borders as they cross continents and oceans, this matters because no single country can protect them alone. It is thanks to supporters like you, that I can write to say migratory birds are now better protected than they were even just months ago. In March 2026, governments from around the world met in Brazil for CMS COP15, a UN global summit focused entirely on migratory species. With strong leadership and expertise from my colleagues and our Partners, the meeting delivered major, concrete breakthroughs – securing protections for birds like the Snowy Owl, Steppe Eagle, Flesh-footed Shearwater, and the Antipodean Albatross. Some of the inspiring people behind these breakthroughs are photographed above, but positive change doesn’t happen overnight. They are the result of years of collaboration, and only possible because of our global community of supporters. The challenge is enormous, but we can meet it by taking conservation action on a global scale, thanks to your support. Warmest wishes, Mairianne Walker | BirdLife International Supporter Team P.S You can support work like this by giving today and having your donation matched up to $20,000 thanks to a generous donor. Instagram Facebook YouTube Website You are receiving this email because you opted-in to hear from BirdLife International BirdLife International is a registered charity 1042125 Address: BirdLife International The David Attenborough Building Pembroke Street Cambridge CB2 3QZ UK For full details on how we collect, use and store your personal information see our Privacy Policy. update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. Copyright © 2026, All rights reserved.

SUPPORT RIGHT TO ROAM BY BUYING NICK HAYES ART WORK — YOU CAN WEAR IT

THE RIGHT TO ROAM PRINT SHOP IS LIVE Purchase exclusive campaign artwork to help keep us going Dear Roamers, One of the most common questions the Right to Roam campaign gets, other than ‘How would you like it if I camped in your garden?!’, is… WHO does your art and WHERE can I buy it. The answers: 1) Nick Hayes 2) nowhere Until now! Because we’re excited to share that the Right to Roam print shop has launched. Each print run will be based on a different campaign theme and for now will be on a limited release basis, so don't miss the opportunity to add one to your collection while they're available. Some runs will include Nick’s existing artwork, some will be exclusively created for the release, with profits all supporting the campaign for a right to roam. Our first release is the Wild Service: featured prints collection. A limited pre-order series of five prints created by Nick for our book WILD SERVICE: Why Nature Needs You. You have until the 13th of July to place your orders. THE COLLECTION Each piece was originally created by artist, illustrator, and campaign co-founder Nick Hayes, designed to accompany chapters from Wild Service exploring our relationship and responsibility to the natural world. The five prints you voted as your favourites represent Culture, Recommoning, Inheritance, Reciprocity and Homage. All A3 designs are printed on Perlino Cotton, a premium 250gsm fine art paper. each piece is designed to last and made to be treasured. Prints are £35, with all proceeds going directly towards supporting our campaign. view the full collection We created this collection to bring the ideas behind Wild Service into everyday life, something to live with and hang on your wall as a quiet reminder of what we are trying to protect – and why it matters. A way for these ideas not just to sit on a page but spill out into our daily lives. This is the first print collection we’ve ever released, and the beginning of a wider series supporting the work of the campaign. EXCLUSIVE NEWSLETTER DISCOUNT Get 10% off all art prints with the Code: WILDPRINTS10 HOW THIS HELPS THE CAMPAIGN Every print helps fund the ongoing work of our campaign supporting better access to nature and a deeper connection to the land we share. For those who want to support the work more directly, you can become a monthly paid subscriber of the campaign by signing up at righttoroam.org.uk At the moment, the right to roam campaign is being kept afloat by small donations from a few hundred monthly supporters. We are grateful for every single one of you. It’s what keeps the work going, but if we want to scale what’s needed, we need to grow that base. We currently have a target of 1,000 subscribers in order to make the campaign sustainable for the next year. Can you help? More support means more capacity: more campaigning, more organising, and more ability to push for real change in a year which might be our best chance for a generation to win reform. £5 / Month £10 / Month £15 / Month £20 / Month As an extra bonus for supporters, those who choose to become monthly paid supporters of the campaign will automatically enter into our ongoing art print giveaway as a thank you for helping sustain the movement long term. We hope you like the shop. It’s a first for us and we’re experimenting with what works, so if you have any feedback, do reply to this email or get in touch at hello@righttoroam.org.uk Jess, On behalf of the Right to Roam team 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 WILD JUSTICE — THE CONSULTATION ON TRAIL HUNTING ENDS VERY SOON

Good morning, Today’s newsletter includes an update on our judicial review on Natural England’s decision to licence supplementary Badger culls in 2024, an update on a development threatening the largest colony of Great Crested Newts in London and Wild Justice featuring on Radio 4. We’d also like to remind you that the consultation on banning trail hunting closes tomorrow – details below. Please do respond, if you haven’t already. Holding Natural England accountable – the Badger cull licence judicial review: Yesterday we attended the Royal Courts of Justice in London for the conclusion of our judicial review which we started back in 2024 with our friends the Badger Trust. We argued that Natural England acted unlawfully by approving 26 supplementary licences to cull Badgers despite advice from its own Director of Science, who concluded that there was “...no justification for authorising further supplementary Badger culls in 2024 for the purpose of preventing the spread of disease and recommend[ed] against doing so”. You can read more about the background of Badger culling, and our stance on it, on our website here. Mr Justice Fordham presided over our case yesterday, and has reserved judgement, which we’ll hear in due course. As soon as we do, we’ll share that with you. We would like to thank our brilliant legal team who helped get this case to court. Thank you Ricky Gama, Carol Day, Julia Eriksen and Madeeha Akhtar at Leigh Day, David Wolfe KC at Matrix Chambers and Barney McCay at Landmark Chambers. We’re extremely fortunate to have such exceptional and committed environmental lawyers representing our cases and helping us challenge these injustices. Thank you so much to all of you who supported our crowdfunder on this case, which allowed us to take this right through to a court hearing. It’s been nearly two years since this case began. Since then, the political landscape has changed but the risk to Badgers has not, and so it’s important that political decisions continue to be scrutinised. Hurry! The clock is ticking on the consultation on so-called trail hunting: The government consultation on how best to implement a trail hunting ban in England and Wales comes to a close on Thursday at 11.59PM on 18 June. If you haven’t managed to respond yet, we’d be really grateful if you could. The League Against Cruel Sports has produced some helpful guidance, which can help guide you through the whole process. You can find it by clicking here. If you’ve already responded – thank you! Trail hunting was introduced as a supposed legal alternative to Fox hunting after Fox hunting was banned in 2004 under the Hunting Act. In trail hunting, hounds are meant to follow an artificial scent trail which has been laid by a human, rather than pursuing a live animal. However, many animal welfare organisations, including the Hunt Saboteurs Association and others, have gathered substantial evidence showing that for years trail hunting has been used by many as a smokescreen to illegally hunt Foxes. This consultation is an opportunity to strengthen legislation around Hunting and put a stop to these wildlife crimes. Save our Newts campaign update: Last month we asked you to support the ‘Save the Newts’ campaign to protect London’s largest breeding colony of Great Crested Newts at Glebelands Nature Reserve which was under threat from development. If you managed to sign the petition before the deadline, thank you. The application was considered by the Mayor of London on 27 May. Despite strong public support from local residents, conservation organisations and supporters, and a petition of over 7,000 signatures, the Greater London Authority chose to approve the Great North Leisure Park development. This case is a stark example of the weakening of wildlife protection legislation and has wider implications for nature conservation in the UK. The new Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 means that real habitat protection can be replaced with a ‘cash-to-trash’ levy for developers., With housing pressures rising, putting important habitats and species of high conservation concern at greater risk, the approval of this development sets a dangerous precedent. Online Talk: Talking Raptor Persecution with Dr Ruth Tingay: In a talk given to Yorkshire-based charity, Friends of the Dales, Wild Justice Co-Director Ruth Tingay gave an insight into raptor persecution and the impact that these crimes have had on Scottish legislation The Friends of the Dales is an independent campaign charity dedicated to protecting the landscape, biodiversity and cultural heritage of the Yorkshire Dales. In recent years it’s focused much of its efforts on challenging issues that face the area, including shining a light on raptor persecution with their ‘Eyes on the Skies’ campaign to raise awareness about birds of prey and their persecution and to seek change from government to put a stop to these crimes. The group is running a petition to help stop the criminal killing of Birds of Prey, which you can sign here. You can watch Ruth’s talk, ‘How Illegal Raptor Persecution led to Grouse Moor Licensing in Scotland’, by following this link. Wild Justice on Radio 4: And last but not least, this morning Wild Justice Co-Director Chris Packham was featured on BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today, talking about the impact Pheasant shooting has on wildlife and the environment. Listen to it, at about 4 minutes and 15 seconds in, here. As ever, thank you for all your support! Wild Justice (CEO: Bob Elliot. Directors: Chris Packham and Ruth Tingay). This is the 269th 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 THE HUNT SABOTEURS - BAN THE SICK HEART OF KILLING FOR FUN AND CELEBRATING IT

View this email in your browser Hi, Supporter Trail Hunting Consultation – Please Do It Today! Our twelve-week countdown is now almost over - the government’s trail hunting closes at 11.59pm tomorrow night – 18th June 2026. If you have not done so already, please make sure your voice is heard in the next twenty-four hours. We will not get this chance again. Handshakes all round as Stowe Beagles rip their victim to pieces. And even as the consultation draws to a close, the hunters continue to incriminate themselves. Just last week we reported on the conviction of Stowe School Beagles huntsman Philip Kennedy. The harrowing video evidence shows a hare being chased and killed by the hounds – but the most sickening aspect is the way that hunters young and old shake hands as the hare is torn to pieces. This is routine cruelty, committed by people who were not even born when the Hunting Act became law 21 years ago. Could there possibly be more compelling evidence of the need to urgently and robustly strengthen the Hunting Act? The Tiverton Staghounds make a mockery of the ‘Research and Observation’ exemption. Over the past twelve weeks we have highlighted the way that the hunters use, abuse and ignore the Hunting Act. We have shown how the West Country staghound packs torment deer for hours under the guise of the ‘Research and Observation’ exemption in the Hunting Act. We have highlighted the cynical exploitation of the ‘Falconry’ exemption, where hunters pretend to flush foxes to a bird of prey. We have highlighted how hunts bury foxes alive so that they can be hunted later in the day. Buried alive by the Cotswold Hunt. We also reported on Chris Packham’s angry but inspiring words during the successful rally outside the Houses of Parliament in May: “I’m now 65-years old, and I cannot believe that I’m standing here, and this is still going on. We elected a government with a massive majority and a manifesto pledge to stop fox hunting. But two years into that term of government, and nothing has happened.” Chris Packham flies the flag! This is it – your very last chance to add your voice to the thousands of HSA supporters who want to really end hunting with hounds. Thank you! You can complete the trail hunting consultation here Complete the Trail Hunting Consultation 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 - IT DOES MATTER WHAT WE SHOULD SEE ON OUR BANKNOTES

Have you seen the new designs? View this email in your browser Donate Join Shop Hi John, Have you seen the shortlisted wildlife set to appear on future banknotes? They're all over the news this morning, and wildlife is in for a win with 18 animals and insects featured - but something is missing. Plants and fungi are the foundation of all life on Earth, but yet again, they've been overlooked. We're so excited to see British wildlife being given the chance to appear on our banknotes. But out of 18 beautiful designs, not one is based on one of our wonderful wild plants or fantastic fungi. Explore our native wild plants and fungi Why Does it Matter What is on Our Banknotes? The Bank of England said the “shortlisted animals demonstrate the rich variety of wildlife we have to celebrate in the UK”. But that leaves out a vital part of our environment, history and heritage. Shortlisted designs feature the Common Frog, Marsh Fritillary Butterfly, Grey Seal and the Red Fox. This selection, while amazing, risks a huge part of our story being forgotten. Plants and fungi are vital for our farmers, they're the cornerstone of our modern medicine, they're what we take pride in in our gardens and green spaces. They're a part of us in every way possible from what we eat to how we breathe. They're also vital for our animals and insects, including those featured in the new designs. Without Devil's-bit Scabious we wouldn't have the Marsh Fritillary Butterfly, Puffins and plants like Sea Thrift go hand-in-hand and without long grasslands, Barn Owls couldn't survive. We need the full picture. And, wouldn’t a £20 Devil's-bit Scabious or £10 Sea Thrift look brilliant? The Bank of England has said the central images will be complemented with additional elements from wildlife and nature. But we don't think plants and fungi should be an afterthought – just a background to the ‘central’ images. To tell the full story of the UK's natural heritage, we need a more complete and representative picture of nature. Which is your favourite species? We know our amazing supporters will agree that plants and fungi are just as big a part of our picture as animals. We hope to see this reflected with the new banknotes. Thank you. Charley Adams, Plantlife Nature Editor Follow Plantlife on: Instagram Instagram Facebook Facebook 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 AND SO IT GOES ON SUPPORTED BY NATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more The Derwent Hunt’s Continued Trespass: Why Are Forestry England and Police Failing to Act? PROTECT THE WILD JUN 3 READ IN APP Despite the withdrawal of its hunting licence, repeated warnings, and ongoing police complaints, the Derwent Hunt continues to trespass across protected land in the North York Moors, exposing yet another failure by authorities to enforce wildlife crime. East Yorkshire Coast Sabs first exposed the Saltersgate Farmers Hunt and Derwent Hunt in 2022, following evidence of illegal activity on the North York Moors National Park Authority’s Levisham Estate, the only land actually owned by the Park Authority. That investigation led to the indefinite revocation of the hunt’s licence to operate on the estate, and the effective collapse of the Saltersgate Farmers Hunt. Yet the Derwent never went away. Demand Forestry England take action Repeated Trespass, Repeated Warnings In March 2024, the Derwent Hunt was again filmed trespassing on the Levisham Estate by East Yorkshire Coast Hunt Sabs. The National Park Authority reminded the hunt that it was not welcome and explicitly reserved the right to take further action should trespass happen again. Demand police action May be an image of text that says "North York Moors National Authority Your ref: Hind Chief Executive Date: 26 April 2024 Sarah Morley Secretary, Derwent Hunt td Westfields Farm Thorton Dale Pickering Y018 Dear Levisham Estate The North York Moors Nationall Park Authority recelved reports owner horse riders Levisham 2024. riders reports were the hounds eperiod land accessed were limited sasthe andowner aware theS permitted Estate anda reinstated. urrently placef present there intention Levisham Estate withdrawni concerns engage trail hunting this permission Continued... together landacape diechili EMPUOWER North York Moors regards Authority Yours ourssincerely the reserve @right further action ippropriate Estate. Brookfield Director Recreation and Wellbeing" It has. On 18 November 2025, the Derwent Hunt was once more caught illegally hunting and trespassing on National Park land. Local residents and Ryedale Hunt Saboteurs reported hounds loose in private gardens, with hounds heard in cry. Screenshots from the Levisham Bugle community WhatsApp group, now held by police, corroborate these reports. Police officers attended, but once again, despite evidence no formal CPN has been given by police. Demand Forestry England take action Footage above from Ryedale Hunt Sabs shows Derwent Huntsmen Arthur Irvine being questioned. Demand police action It appears that the National Park Authority is, at the very least, taking steps to address the Derwent Hunt’s actions, even as police enforcement continues to stall and Forestry England’s response remains notably passive. In correspondence seen by Protect the Wild, the Authority confirms it has “reasonable grounds to suspect” that the Derwent Hunt has trespassed on its land. This is a significant admission and directly contradicts any suggestion that these incidents are unclear or unsubstantiated. Following earlier warnings issued in April 2024, in which the Hunt was explicitly told that no activity was permitted on Authority land, the National Park Authority has now formally challenged the Derwent Hunt. It has requested: A full explanation of the events that took place in and around Levisham on 18 November Written confirmation that horses, riders, and hounds will not enter any part of the Levisham Estate again This demonstrates a willingness to engage directly with the Hunt and to put expectations clearly on record. The contrast with Forestry England is stark. Despite repeated complaints, documented breaches of its own suspension of trail hunting, and escalating concerns from local communities, Forestry England has yet to demonstrate the same level of proactive engagement. There has been no clear evidence of direct challenge, no visible escalation, and no indication of meaningful consequences for continued non-compliance. Instead, responsibility continues to be deferred, thresholds for action remain unreasonably high, and enforcement is effectively absent. But questions remain for all authorities involved. If there are reasonable grounds to suspect trespass, and if prior warnings have clearly been ignored, why has this not yet translated into stronger enforcement or legal action? And why, when one authority is willing to confront the issue directly, are others (Forestry England and North Yorkshire Police) still failing to act? Demand Forestry England take action A Pattern Across Protected Land Within days of the Levisham trespass: The Derwent Hunt was again filmed trespassing on Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s Chafer Wood Nature Reserve on 15 November 2025 by the Helmsley Monitors, despite previous incidents and warnings. Complaints relating to Forestry England land, including Dalby Forest, remain active, following repeated breaches of Forestry England’s own suspension of trail hunting on its estate. Complaints brought by Ryedale Hunt Saboteurs were escalated to a Stage 3 complaint with Forestry England, prompting FE to issue letters to the Derwent and Staintondale hunts restating that hunting is suspended on FE land, while effectively admitting they would not take action, unless incidents amounted to “significant damage” to property. In doing so, Forestry England acknowledged that it has no meaningful enforcement mechanism and is unwilling to intervene even where wildlife disturbance and repeated trespass are evident. Wildlife crime, disturbance, loss, or harassment, it seems, does not meet that threshold. Demand police action Authorities Passing the Buck Of all landowners, Forestry England’s response has been consistent: refer matters to the police. Yet police action remains limited. Despite repeated trespass, evidence of active hunting, and growing community concern, enforcement has stalled. While the Derwent’s activities clearly meet the definition of persistent antisocial behaviour, there has been no Community Protection Notice, no meaningful restrictions, and no visible deterrent. This lack of action sits in stark contrast to approaches taken by neighbouring police forces. Lincolnshire Police and Humberside Police Rural Taskforces have previously issued Community Protection Notices to hunts, using existing powers to successfully curb repeated trespass and antisocial conduct. North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Taskforce, by comparison, appears to lack either the will or the authority to take similar decisive action. If one police force can use available powers to address hunt-related antisocial behaviour, the question is unavoidable: why will another not? If any other group repeatedly entered protected land, released animals, and caused distress to residents, swift enforcement would follow. Hunts, once again, appear to be operating under a different standard. Demand police action A Hunt With Nowhere Left to Go The Derwent’s current huntsman, Arthur Irvine, is reportedly struggling to control hounds or avoid prohibited land. With former figures gone and traditional territories closed off, the hunt appears to be operating reactively, trespassing wherever it can. In one recent incident, Irvine reportedly attempted to report hunt saboteurs for harassment, only to be stopped by police due to vehicle defects and escorted back to kennels. Comedy, perhaps, but only if the stakes weren’t so serious. Demand Forestry England take action A Trail Hunting Myth Exposed, Again These incidents further dismantle the claim that trail hunting is controlled, lawful, or enforceable. When hunts repeatedly trespass, hounds roam out of control, and authorities admit they lack the power, or will, to intervene, the system has failed. The Derwent Hunt’s behaviour is not an anomaly. It is a case study. Demand police action Time for Action, Not Reviews Complaints are ongoing with: North Yorkshire Police Rural Taskforce Forestry England But reviews and correspondence do not protect wildlife, residents, or public land. Protect the Wild is calling on: North Yorkshire Police to take decisive enforcement action and issue a Community Protection Notice (CPN) to the Derwent Hunt, a measure that has already been successfully used against other hunts in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire to curb persistent trespass and antisocial behaviour. Forestry England must explain how a suspension or ban on hunting, without any meaningful enforcement, is supposed to protect wildlife, public land, or local communities. It must also commit to taking proactive action, engaging directly with the Hunt and setting clear consequences for breaches, in line with the more robust approach now being demonstrated by the National Park Authority. The Derwent Hunt was banned. It was warned. It was exposed. And yet, it continues. How many trespasses are enough? SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

FROM HUNT SABOTEURS COVERT FOOTAGE UNCOVERS BLATENT CRIME — RELENTLESS KILLING

View this email in your browser Hi, Supporter TWO WEEKS TO GO - COVERT FOOTAGE PROVES A STRONGER DETERRENT IS NEEDED With two weeks to go before the consultation into strengthening the Hunting Act ends, the HSA has obtained new footage which perfectly illustrates the need for a stronger deterrent to hunting wild mammals with dogs. Relentless Cruelty Covert cameras captured Grove & Rufford huntsman, Jacob Whalley, preparing for a cubbing meet with terrierman Ste Reynolds. The pair are seen leading two terriers around an active badger sett the day before a hunt meet. The 2025/26 season was Jacob Whalley’s first season as a huntsman, coming fresh from his position as whipper in at the Fitzwilliam Hunt. In July 2025, Whalley pleaded guilty to Hunting Act offences while at the Fitzwilliam. A newspaper article which covered the conviction listed his address at the time as the Grove & Rufford Hunt kennels, where he will have moved in May 2025. Clearly, this prosecution set a clear intention for the rest of the season. There are two weeks left to finish filling in the consultation, to strengthen the existing law and help to prevent and deter future hunting! Tools of the trade - hunt scum search for foxes using terriers, spades and netting. No more exemptions, no more excuses! You might be sick of hearing it - but why do terriers need to be present on a trail hunt? Well, exactly - they don't! While hunters might bleat about using terriers below ground for the ‘protection of gamebirds’, this is simply another ruse to continue carrying out one of the most important elements of a fox hunt - terrier work. Terrier work can be mentioned among the many other ‘exemptions’ as a form of conduct or legislative change needed to strengthen the Hunting Act in questions 11 and 12 of the consultation. You can read about other legal exemptions to the Hunting Act here https://www.huntsabs.org.uk/witness-the-end-of-hunting-removal-of-all-current-exemptions/ Terriers are commonly used in the hunting world to flush out foxes from their sites of refuge; be that a badger sett, fox earth, stick pile or anywhere else the unlucky fox may call home. Once a fox has been flushed, or the terriermen are satisfied with their search of an area, these refuge points will be blocked - just as we see Ste Reynolds doing in the footage, as he used a spade to fill in holes in a sett. This prevents the hunted fox from returning to safety during the hunt meet. Blocking badger setts with earth also puts any badgers who live in the sett at risk of suffocation while trying to free themselves. In the footage, Whalley can clearly be seen carrying nets, suggesting that the pair intend to capture any fox bolted by a terrier for release before the hounds. This in itself is also illegal, aside from the obvious depraved cruelty. Terrier work results in some of the most grim scenes in hunting. As captured on film at the Kimblewick, Avon Vale, the Coniston and many others. No escape - sett holes are callously filled in to prevent a fox escaping hounds. Unlucky foxes may be dug out to release to hounds. Taking the piss If any extra clues were needed as to the pair’s intent, Reynolds is heard asking Whalley for directions on which other holes to block. Whalley instructs Reynolds not to fill in any holes which are “rabbity” and therefore deemed too small for a fox to fit inside. As if by magic, covert cameras capture Whalley back in the woodland the day after he and Reynolds are filmed using terriers to search for foxes. This time, however, Whalley is dressed in full hunting regalia, blowing a hunting horn with a pack of hounds at his feet. Returning to the scene of the crime for… more crime! Perhaps unsurprisingly, in May 2026, just last month, Whalley and Reynolds entered not guilty pleas at Nottingham Magistrates Court for offences committed under the Badger Act 1992. We’ll leave you to imagine what they were up to in that instance. Sheffield Hunt Saboteurs reported multiple findings of blocked setts at Grove and Rufford meets in hit reports during last season. Some instances resulted in landowners receiving a knock on the door from their local bobby. Crocodile tears News of the ‘trail hunting ban’ had many in the hunting community crying false tears; much like the trails they have claimed to lay for twenty plus years these are put on for show in the hope that it won’t get more difficult to chase and kill animals with hounds. We must remember that the phrase ‘trail hunting ban’ is again a sham. Used to discredit the strengthening of the Hunting Act as pointless legislation which outlaws a harmless activity. Oh well, what a shame, never mind. The Grove & Rufford had a little whinge online, trying to defend the life Whalley had chosen since the tender age of sixteen. Whalley is one of many current hunt staff who in their early thirties. With the hunting ban passed in 2004, this puts them at the age of around ten when hunting was banned. In essence, these people were not old enough to enter into hunt service while it was legal and barely keep up the pretence of trail hunting. While this serves as yet another reminder to fill in the consultation, it also serves once again to show that boots on the ground will always be necessary - whatever blood sport we are tackling. Complete the Trail Hunting Consultation 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

CAN YOU HELP PROTECT THE WILD CARRY ON WITH INVESTIGATIONS - A DONATION IS REQUESTED

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Will you help us keep going? PROTECT THE WILD JUN 1 READ IN APP We’re taking on industries, governments, and powerful interests with little more than determination and a small team. Yet in May alone, we aired an undercover investigation on ITV, reached millions of people online, featured on national television, secured wildlife victories, and continued putting pressure on those harming animals and nature. But the truth is that none of this is guaranteed to continue. Every investigation, campaign, report, and piece of journalism relies on people choosing to support our work. This month we’re aiming to raise £2,500 to help fund the next stage of our investigations, campaigning, and advocacy. Donate to Protect the Wild If you’re able to make a donation today, we’d be incredibly grateful. Together, we can keep exposing cruelty, challenging powerful interests, and fighting for wildlife. Thank you, Rob 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 - NO LEGAL KILLING FOR ANYMORE GUGA?

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more New polling shows huge surge in opposition to the Guga hunt. Something has shifted. And the numbers prove it. DEVON DOCHERTY JUN 1 READ IN APP The tides are well and truly shifting against the Guga hunt - the cruel annual killing of Gannet chicks off the North West coast of Scotland - and we have the stats to prove it. Our latest polling shows that 77% of Scottish people with a view want the Guga hunt to be banned. In December, that figure was 69%, showing a significant increase in opposition in just five months. Even when taking into consideration people who answered ‘Don’t know’, the results show an outright majority supporting an end to the Guga hunt. Over half of all Scots want this hunt stopped. Strip out the don't knows and it's three in four. However you cut these numbers, the Scottish public has delivered a clear verdict on the Guga hunt - and they want it to stop. Stop the Guga hunt Our poll, commissioned with market research group FindOutNow, was Scottish-representative - meaning it was carefully weighted to reflect the real make-up of Scotland's population across age, gender, region and other factors. This is as close to the genuine public view as polling gets. How many people had heard of the Guga hunt before? We also asked if participants had previously heard of the hunt before taking part in our survey. The results were: At first glance, 17% may not sound like a particularly high figure. But when you consider that this is representative of the Scottish population, it means that around 748,000 Scottish adults had heard of the Guga hunt before. For a practice that has quietly continued for centuries, largely hidden from public view, the fact that hundreds of thousands of Scots are now aware of it represents a significant breakthrough. In fact, I’d wager that if this question had been asked just a year ago, the figure would have been less than 1% awareness. A year ago, I had never even heard of the Guga hunt myself - and by that point I had spent six years involved in Scotland's animal protection movement. While there’s clearly still a huge amount of awareness-raising to do, these results suggest that the Guga hunt is no longer a niche issue known only to the perpetrators and a handful of NatureScot staff. It is becoming a matter of national public debate. Tell NatureScot - END THE GUGA HUNT What’s changed? We believe the surge in both opposition to and awareness of the Guga hunt has been driven largely by a huge increase in media coverage. Our election campaign, which saw Protect the Wild founder Rob stand as a candidate in Edinburgh Central went particularly viral, showing the value of bold and creative campaigning. It helped bring the issue to a national audience, generating huge coverage across major UK media outlets, including broadcasting on BBC, ITV and STV news. We also featured on a segment of Have I Got News For You, which has an average of around 4 million viewers. Other factors include our viral Guga hunt animations each reaching millions of people, our collaboration with actor Brian Cox, direct action by grassroots activists from Abolish the Guga hunt, and growing efforts from other organisations. Why did we only poll in Scotland? Scotland has its own parliament and decisions about the future of the Guga hunt will ultimately be made there. The people who make up that parliament are elected to represent, and are accountable to, the Scottish public. NatureScot, the body responsible for licensing the hunt, is answerable to that same parliament, and those same members of the Scottish public. That makes Scottish public opinion particularly important. One of the most common claims made by defenders of the hunt is that opposition comes primarily from outside Scotland. Whether fair or not, it is important that we can demonstrate that concern about the Guga hunt exists within Scotland itself, and that support for ending it is growing among the Scottish people. And that’s exactly what we’ve done with this new polling. But let me be clear - this doesn’t mean opinions from elsewhere aren’t important. Public pressure doesn’t stop at Scotland’s borders, and support from across the UK and around the world has been invaluable in helping shine a light on the Guga hunt. Tell NatureScot - End the Guga hunt So wherever you’re from, please keep engaging with this campaign. Every conversation, every email, every petition signature and every action helps expose a practice that has remained hidden from public view for far too long. Help protect wildlife every month If you’re reading this, chances are you’re already part of the movement. Whether you’ve shared our content, signed a petition, contacted a decision-maker or simply helped spread the word, thank you. But if we’re going to keep growing, winning campaigns and protecting wildlife, we need more than support - we need sustainable funding. That’s why monthly donations are so important. If you’re able to support us, even if that’s the price of a cup of coffee once a month - please do, it makes everything we do for wildlife possible. Donate to Protect the Wild As a special thank you to those who support our campaign to end the Guga hunt, we’ll send you a Gannet plush toy as a small, soft reminder of the birds you are helping to protect. Just donate via the button above, or by clicking this link. 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 - THE HARD TRUTH ABOUT INDUSTRIAL GAME BIRD FARMING. VILE IT IS

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more A pheasant’s organs were forced back inside her body. This is the vile reality of the shooting industry they want hidden. PROTECT THE WILD JUN 1 READ IN APP This is some of the most vile footage I have ever had to watch in my 11 years running Protect the Wild. Every time I replay it, I come away with immense anger and sadness. Not because this is an isolated accident. Not because one bird was suffering. But because this footage exposes the lie at the heart of the bird shooting industry. For years, the industry has told the public that it operates to the highest welfare standards. It claims its birds are cared for by trained professionals. It insists it can regulate itself. It tells politicians, journalists and the public that the welfare of the animals it breeds and shoots is a priority. Then our undercover investigator walked inside one of the UK’s largest “game” bird breeding facilities and recorded what actually happens. This wasn’t footage from some rogue backyard operation. This was recorded inside Heart of England, a company that breeds millions of pheasants and partridges for the shooting industry and proudly boasts on its website that its birds are produced “without shortcuts.” What our investigator witnessed was a hen pheasant suffering from a prolapse being left untreated for days. Days. Repeatedly reported. Repeatedly ignored. Become a Game Changer When somebody finally intervened, there was no veterinarian. No pain relief. No antiseptic. No proper medical treatment. Instead, an unqualified member of staff attempted to force the prolapsed tissue back inside the bird’s body using dirty equipment and the bird’s own soiled feathers before returning her to the cage. His assessment afterwards? “We’ll try it, see what happens.” Imagine that for a moment. Imagine being that bird. Your body has literally begun to fail under the strain of laying eggs. Internal tissue is protruding from your body. You are in pain. You are vulnerable. You need urgent veterinary treatment. Instead, you are subjected to this crude and unhygienic procedure before being thrown back into a cage to continue suffering. Become a Game Changer Why was this bird there? Why was she enduring this in the first place? Because she was part of a production line. Her purpose was to produce eggs. Those eggs would become chicks. Those chicks would be reared in their tens of millions. Then they would be released into the countryside only to be shot from the sky for entertainment. That is the reality. This bird’s suffering existed because somebody wanted more pheasants to shoot. The industry likes to talk about conservation. It likes to talk about rural traditions. It likes to talk about livelihoods and heritage. But strip away the marketing and this is what remains: animals treated as units of production. Breeding machines. Disposable commodities. Living creatures pushed to their limits because there is money to be made from the birds they produce. Perhaps what disgusts me most is not simply the suffering itself, but the casual attitude towards it. Our investigator recorded conversations about prolapses, birds dying from reproductive injuries and birds becoming egg-bound. The deaths and suffering were discussed not as tragedies to be prevented but as expected losses within a system designed to maximise production. “It just happens.” “It’s part of the game we’re in. It’s not nice, but... They’re like, **** me, I’ve laid too many eggs…” No. It doesn’t “just happen.” These injuries happen because humans have created an industrial system that pushes animals beyond what their bodies were ever meant to endure. And when suffering becomes so routine that people stop seeing it as suffering, something has gone badly wrong. The shooting industry has millions of pounds behind it. It has wealthy landowners. It has celebrity shooters. It has lobby groups, trade organisations and political influence. But they can’t run away from the truth. And the truth is contained in footage like this. The truth is contained in the testimony of undercover investigators who risk their jobs and safety to expose what happens behind closed doors. The truth is contained in the suffering of birds like this pheasant. That is why we launched our campaign to End Bird Shooting. That is why we are exposing the industry from hatchery to gun. And that is why we need your help. The other side has money. We have something far more powerful. We have you. We have the evidence. We have the truth. Most importantly, we are on the side of the animals. If this footage makes you as angry as it makes us, please become a Game Changer today. Become a Game Changer By becoming a monthly supporter, you’ll help fund more hard-hitting undercover investigations, expose cruelty hidden from public view, challenge industry propaganda and build the movement needed to end bird shooting in the UK once and for all. The industry is counting on nobody looking. Together, we can make sure the whole country sees exactly what is happening. And together, we can bring this cruel industry to an end. SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

FROM PLANTLIFE - LET THE GRASS AND MEADOWS BLOOM IN JUNE

Let's Let it Bloom View this email in your browser Donate Join Shop Hi John, May might be over, but the No Mow Movement is still well underway, and it's not too late join - welcome to Let it Bloom June! While May is a great time to start the Movement, letting your lawn grow through June can be great too - and every little space adds up to huge gains for nature. All you need to do is mow less and create space for nature to thrive. In return you lock up more carbon, help your garden deal with the heat and provide pollinators and other wildlife with a vital lifeline. Say no more, I'm ready to join Let it Bloom Your Way The No Mow Movement isn't about throwing away the mower altogether - it's about trying to replicate some of those lost meadows at home. How you choose to continue (or begin) the Movement is up to you: Hands celebrating Go Wild - go all in and let your lawn grow like a mini hay meadow through to the end of July. Flower Create a Mow-saic Mix - think short paths, flowering lawn patches and longer areas with taller wildflowers and grasses, variety is the spice of life! Green heart Beautiful borders - leave some space around your border to bloom and see what wildlife takes sanctuary in the tufts of grasses. Let's Let it Bloom With the hottest May temperature on record this year, there has never been a better time to help our wildlife. The benefits of less mowing are blooming brilliant! You'll boost biodiversity, provide safe and cooler spaces for insects and animals and protect your lawn from drought. So please do tell us and add your name to the No Mow Movement if you’re letting the grass grow - you’ll help us to keep track of the space that is being created for nature across the UK. We can't wait to welcome all the new No Mow Heroes! Thank you. Charley Adams, Plantlife Nature Editor Follow Plantlife on: Instagram Instagram Facebook Facebook 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 THE HUNT SABOTEURS — FROM TRAIL HUNTING TO DRAG HUNTING?

View this email in your browser Hi, Supporter From Trail Hunting to Drag Hunting: The Next Smokescreen? Trail hunting does not exist as a genuine activity; it exists only as a myth. It was invented after the hunting ban as a smokescreen for the continued hunting of wild mammals - exactly as campaigners warned it would be, and exactly as hunts themselves said they would do. The convicted Crawley and Horsham Fox hunt in 2023/24 - now a registered drag hunt as of 2025/26. Image Credit West Sussex Hunt Sabs In 2020, fifteen years after hunting was banned, the sport’s governing body held a series of Zoom calls during the Covid lockdowns which were later leaked to the Hunt Saboteurs Association and released on ITV News. The recordings exposed hunting’s leadership, coaching masters and huntsmen on how to circumvent the law and avoid prosecution. It was from these webinars that the now-infamous term “smokescreen” entered the public debate — used to describe trail hunting as a cover for continued illegal hunting. The leak marked a turning point. The beginning of the end of hunts operating with impunity while publicly insisting they were acting within the law. Twenty-one years later, the public has more than had enough, and finally a government was elected with a manifesto pledge to ban the fiction of trail hunting. But banning the myth alone does not deal with the underlying activity. How can you ban something that does not truly happen? What must be outlawed is the use of any smokescreen that enables the hunting of wild mammals to continue under another name. During the infamous leaked Hunting Office webinars, Richard Gurney who was master and huntsman of the Crawley & Horsham hunt, referred to laying trails as a 'Plan B' held in reserve for when sabs turn up. That means ensuring hunts cannot simply reinvent themselves through another supposedly “alternative” activity. And there is every reason to believe they already are. The most obvious replacement smokescreen is drag hunting. That is not speculation — it has effectively been admitted by the hunting lobby itself. As reported by the BBC News, Countryside Alliance representative Polly Portwin said that if trail hunting were banned, hunts would adapt: “We will find a way, we’ve had to find a way and we’re going to have to adapt”. So why is the government simultaneously saying it wants “alternative practices such as drag hunting and clean-boot hunting, which use non-animal scents, to continue to thrive”? “Thrive”? There are only seven registered drag hunting packs in the UK. The Drag Hunting Reality Berks & Bucks Draghounds — formerly kennelled with the Avon Vale Hunt and hunted by former Avon Vale huntsman Stuart Radbourne before the Avon Vale were exposed in multiple cases involving extreme cruelty to animals. Radbourne would slaughter foxes on Saturdays and hunt a drag on Sundays. He has since been seen riding as whipper-in for huntsman Andrew Van Oostrum despite multiple convictions relating to serious animal abuse. Cambridge University Draghounds describes itself as an “extra-mural study” for students, but openly presents itself as a training ground for future leaders of the hunting world, boasting a “long list” of former members who became masters of hounds. One example is Ronnie Wallace, associated with hunts including the Hawkstone Otterhounds, Exmoor Foxhounds, Ludlow, Cotswold and Heythrop hunts. Crawley & Horsham Draghounds switched from registration with the British Hound Sports Association (BHSA) to the Masters of Draghounds & Bloodhounds Association ahead of the proposed ban. The fate of their fox hunting hounds remains unclear. The organisation has long been associated with “smokescreen” hunting practices. Former master and huntsman Richard Gurney was exposed in the Hunting Office webinars referring to trail laying as a “Plan B” to use when hunt saboteurs appeared. The Crawley & Horsham Hunt also has convictions for illegal hunting. In 2012, three members, including huntsman Andrew Phillis, were convicted on five counts of illegal hunting. In 2013, professional huntsman Nicholas Bycroft pleaded guilty to an offence under the Hunting Act. In 2021, two separate cases against then-huntsman William Bishop collapsed after CPS failures to disclose video evidence. Isle of Wight Hounds — another former BHSA-registered pack now making the switch before legislation changes. Jersey Draghounds Mid Surrey Farmers Draghounds Staff College Draghounds Drag Hunt huntsman Stuart Radbourne hunting the Drag hounds on a Sunday. And the same Stuart Radbourne digging out foxes on a Saturday. The Scent Contradiction Sabs have long documented what scents so-called ‘trail hunts’ claim to use, here are just a few from our reports; Staghounds Quantock Staghounds — aniseed (2018) Foxhounds Hampshire Hunt — Olbas Oil (2025/26) Royal Artillery Hunt — valerian root (2025/26) Portman Hunt — clove oil (2025/26) Wilton Hunt — aniseed (2023/24), then reportedly returned to fox scent in 2025/26 because alternatives “don’t really work as well” Harriers Holcombe Harriers — “cheap perfume” Beagles Bolebroke Beagles — aniseed New Forest Beagles — Olbas Oil (2017) Wilton Hunt offer sabs a sniff of their sock. Credit Wiltshire Hunt Sabs The original justification for trail hunting using fox scent after the Hunting Act was supposedly to “keep the dogs’ noses” trained while hunts campaigned for the repeal of the Act. Yet the extraordinary inconsistency in the scents now claimed — from aniseed and clove oil to cheap perfume and Olbas Oil — alongside admissions that animal-based scents work better, exposes a fundamental problem: they do not actually know what works best because hounds were never genuinely retrained away from live quarry. The example of the Wilton Hunt is particularly revealing. After publicly claiming to have switched to non-animal scent trails in 2023/24, it now reportedly admits that fox scent has been reintroduced because alternatives “don’t really work”. It cannot be acceptable for actual hunting to continue simply to preserve seven registered drag hunts — several of which have direct or deeply questionable links to convicted fox hunting activity and individuals associated with illegal hunting. A ban on trail hunting alone is not enough. The government must ensure that any new law covers all eventualities, closes every potential smokescreen, and removes the loopholes and exemptions that have allowed hunts to continue operating in practice while claiming compliance on paper. Nothing less will do. The government has launched a public consultation on Trail Hunting – this is our chance to stop cruel hunting for good. You can read the HSA’s guidance and take part in the consultation here. The deadline is 18th June 2026 – make sure your voice is heard. Take part in the Trail Hunting Consultation now: Have your say Join the Hunt Saboteurs Association! Support our vital work by becoming a member. Join The HSA Spread the word! Please share our news Share via email Facebook icon Instagram icon Twitter icon Logo Copyright (C) 2026 Hunt Saboteurs Association. All rights reserved. You were subscribed to the newsletter from Hunt Saboteurs Association. Our mailing address is: BM HSA, London, WC1N 3XX, U.K. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe

FROM PROTECT THE WILD - SO MUCH TO READ AND TO TAKE ACTION ON

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more How did we fit all of this into one month? From national news to Parliament, another busy month for Protect the Wild! PROTECT THE WILD MAY 31 READ IN APP These donation appeals are vital to keeping Protect the Wild moving forward. We are not funded by corporations. We do not rely on large grants. Everything we do is powered by ordinary people choosing to give small amounts because they believe animals deserve a voice. Before I ask for your support today, I want to show you what that support achieved in May. Because honestly, when I sat down to write this email, I found myself asking: How did we fit all of this into one month? June Fundraiser Taking animal issues into the national spotlight For years, animal protection campaigns have often struggled to break into the mainstream. Not in May. Over the course of a single month, our campaigns appeared on ITV, BBC, STV, national newspapers and even Have I Got News For You. Just six weeks after my campaign as a giant Gannet candidate in the Scottish elections was featured on Have I Got News For You, I found myself back in the headlines - this time standing in the Makerfield by-election dressed as a giant fox. Some people ask why we do this. The answer is simple. Animals don’t get a vote. The Guga hunt had remained largely hidden from public scrutiny for generations. Hunting with hounds has survived years of political delay, loopholes and broken promises. These campaigns are designed to force those issues into the public conversation. What started as a giant Gannet costume ended with the campaign appearing on BBC News, ITV News, STV News, front pages and prime-time television. Millions of people who had never heard of the Guga hunt suddenly knew exactly what it was. That momentum continued throughout May. June Fundraiser We appeared on Scotland’s most watched news programme challenging NatureScot over a fresh licence application for the Guga hunt. A once obscure issue has become a national debate. And our petition demanding an end to the licensed slaughter of Gannet chicks has now passed 192,000 signatures and is rapidly approaching 200,000. Earlier this month, we travelled to NatureScot's headquarters in Inverness to deliver what is now the largest petition in the organisation's history, only to be told it would need to be submitted by email instead. The campaign to end the Guga hunt continues and you can add your name to the petition here. Exposing the bird shooting industry While our campaigners were generating headlines, our investigators were generating evidence. In May, ITV News aired footage from Protect the Wild’s undercover investigation into the bird shooting industry. The footage was the result of over a year of work and hundreds of hours of evidence gathered from “game” bird farms across the country. Millions of birds are bred and released every year to be shot for sport. But the public rarely gets to see what happens before those birds arrive on shooting estates. We pulled back the curtain. And we didn’t stop there. Throughout May we continued publishing findings from the investigation, exposing industrial breeding systems, raised cages and the factory farming practices that sit behind an industry that constantly attempts to present itself as conservation. This investigation is ongoing. And some of our most significant findings are still to come. Please head over to our End Bird Shooting Substack to stay in the loop. June Fundraiser Taking the fight directly to Parliament In May we also took our Rehome the Hounds campaign to Westminster. Alongside rescue organisations, behaviourists and Alfred the rescued hunt hound, we met with MPs to challenge one of the hunting lobby’s most persistent arguments: that hunting dogs cannot be rehomed if hunting ends. The truth is they can. And the response from MPs was overwhelmingly positive. At the same time, we continued driving participation in the Government’s consultation on hunting, ensuring that public pressure for meaningful reform continues to grow. Over 30,000 of you have now used our handy 15 second tool to respond to the consultation. You can do so here if you haven’t already! Turning campaigns into victories Not every campaign makes national headlines. Some save lives directly. Following pressure from supporters and local campaigners, swifts were once again able to access their nesting site in Banstead after obstacles blocking access were removed. Our new rapid-response bird netting campaign also secured the removal of harmful bird netting from two locations, preventing further suffering and deaths. To support that campaign, we released a new animation exposing the cruelty of bird netting. More than 1.5 million people have already watched it. This is what your support makes possible When I look back at May, it doesn’t feel like one month. It feels like six. An undercover investigation aired on ITV. We featured on Have I Got News For You for the second time in six weeks. We saw tens of thousands add their name to our petition calling for an end to the Guga hunt. National television appearances. Conversations with MPs. Wildlife victories on the ground. Millions of people reached. Protect the Wild continues to punch far above its weight because thousands of people choose to stand alongside us. We’ve set a goal of £2,500 for our June fundraiser to power us on this month and would be so appreciative of any support you can give :) Thank you. Rob June Fundraiser SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

A POEM THAT IS ABOUT GAMEBIRD INDUSTRIAL FACTORY FARMING

Written in response to Protect The Wild post on game bird factory farming linear concept solar farm panels fit the norm conform to a notion of order row upon row headstones line up conform in deathly order row upon row row upon row small cages elevated hope and excrement to fall there have been camps that proximated death this one is no exception industrial bred cage birds to be allowed out as a supposed wild thing to fly to be peppered by leadshot or to escape into their unworldy wild it’s all for fun as an elite blast poison into the skies John Edwards (C) 18th May, 2026

FROM BUGLIFE - THE LATEST NEWS

Buglife Logo saving the small things that run the planet View this email in your browser Dear John Welcome to the May edition of Buglife's e-newsletter, BugBytes! This month we have seen thunderstorms and heatwaves, new projects getting underway, Bugs Matter making a splash in France, consultations and of course Solitary Bee Week. So, let’s buzz on over and take a look! The Summer Edition of The Buzz is almost here! This summer issue of our magazine for Community Members is buzzing with bees and wasps! Jam-packed (or should that be ham-packed - it’ll make sense when you receive it!) with: 🐝 articles showcasing various Buglife projects with a focus on their wasp and bee heroes; 🎉 some great Silver Jubilee celebration supporter incentives; 💤 Bug Buzz Buddies; ➡️ and so much more! Want to know more and receive a copy through your letter box during the second week of June? Join the Buglife Community today and you’ll get The Buzz too! Join the Buglife Community Solitary Bee Week 2026 Solitary Bee Week 2026 Wednesday 20 May to Wednesday 27 May saw us celebrating Solitary Bee Week once again, with lots of great information and amazing photography shared across our socials. We explored the intricate lives of solitary bees, sharing their stories, fascinating facts, and actionable steps we can all take to protect these vital invertebrates from environmental challenges. Solitary Bee Week may be over for another year, but it’s still a great time to celebrate these pollinator heroes, and do our bit to encourage them into our green and brown spaces. Green-eyed Flower Bee (Anthophora bimaculata) © Buglife 'Shutterbug' Radoslav Valkov Let’s take another look at some of the distinctive (and often rare) solitary bees you may see over the next few weeks. Longhorn Bee (Eucera longicornis) The males have huge antennae. They love soft clay cliffs but have suffered much decline so this is a species Buglife is helping to protect through projects such as Life on the Edge and Kernow Wyls. Green-eyed Flower Bee (Anthophora bimaculata) These bees have beautiful bright green eyes. They live only in the south of Britain and are uncommon. Green Furrow Bee (Lasioglossum morio) At just 5 to 6mm in size these are one of our tiniest bees. They have a bright metallic bronzy green shimmer. Box-headed Blood Bee (Sphecodes monilicornis) This is a distinctive bee with a bright red abdomen. It’s a nest parasite of mining bees and is common in East and South of the UK. Hairy-footed Flower Bee (Anthophora plumipes) The males of this bumblebee-sized bee have a “yellow moustache” and “hairy feet”. His feet are used in an unusual mating dance where the male mounts the female and waves his front legs in the air, fanning her with his hairy feet. Common in southern and central England and Wales. Pantaloon Bee (Dasypoda hirtipes) Females sport large yellow "pantaloons" on their legs to dig burrows and carry pollen. Female Pantaloon Bees build individual nests in sandy soil, often near other bees of the same species. Rare and found in the South. The Six-banded Nomad Bee (Nomada sexfasciata): A "cuckoo" bee that lays eggs in solitary bees' nests. The Six-banded nomad bee’s choice host is the Longhorned Bee (Eucera longicornis). Extremely rare and limited to Southern England. How to be the best bee hotel manager Where do solitary bees nest? And how can we be the best 'bee landlords' for them? Well, having a variety of nest sites will help, since many native UK bees are ground-nesters, while others choose bricks, wood, plant stems, and even snug little cavities like empty snail shells! While bee hotels are a popular choice for gardeners, only mostly mason and leafcutter bees will use them successfully – if managed correctly. Sadly, shop-bought bee hotels are often poorly designed, and can even cause more harm than good due to dampness, mould and splinters. Fortunately, there are simple, inexpensive ways to create the ideal spaces to support many nesting bee species: 🪵 Drill holes into untreated wood blocks or use clean bamboo canes that are protected from the rain, and smooth off splinters to make your own DIY bee hotel; ☀️ Pick a sunny south or southeast location which helps to keep the nesting bees warm; 🌱 Leave a patch of vegetation-free soil as mining bees will use it to burrow, and mason bees use the mud to create sealed doors over their nest holes; 🔨 Maintain in early spring, replacing old or broken sections after the wetter weather has passed. Want to know more? Take a look at our blog originally written by Andrew William Kirkland in July 2020, reviewed by Buglife for Solitary Bee Week 2026, “How to be the best bee hotel manager”. Red Mason Bee (Osmia bicornis) © Steven Falk Discover how to be a buzz-y landlord Exciting opportunities for the Buglife Community! The Biological Recording Company are offering our buzz-y supporters an incredible 50% discount on their entoLEARN online self-study courses. These pre-recorded webinars and associated content cover a wide range of invertebrate topics, including: Bumblebees of the UK Social Wasps of the UK Damselflies of the UK Dragonflies of the UK Earthworms of the UK & Ireland Freshwater Leeches of the UK Longhorn Beetles of the UK Discover entoLEARN ℹ️ To claim your discount, simply add buglife50 into the coupon box during checkout (you may need to click on 'Have a coupon?' for this box to appear). The coupon is not limited to a single use, so you can use it to get the 50% discount on multiple courses! Browse our Bug Directory Did you know that we have almost 200 invertebrate species profiles on our website, and counting? Let’s meet one of the species that you’ll likely be seeing a lot of at the moment! Cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha) © Zoe Foster This month we’re meeting the aptly named May Bug. The Common Cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha) often referred to as the May Bug, but you may also know them as the Spang Beetle, Dumbledory or the Billy Witch, amongst many other names. These beetles are loud and clumsy and can frequently be seen and heard flying into lit windows, lamps or even you! ℹ️ Did you know: They've had a troubled past. During 1320 cockchafers (as a species) were taken to court in Avignon, France, where they were ordered to leave town and relocate to a specially designated area, or be outlawed. All cockchafers who failed to comply were collected and killed! For more information about this clumsy character and its unique flying (or should that be crashing!) style, visit our Bug Directory. Take me to the Bug Directory! Which bug would you like to see added to the directory next, there's plenty to choose from! ICYMI ~ Spring is sprung? Did you catch the first in a series of blogs being written by Buglife Development Officer, Beth, celebrating the seasonality of our gardens? Just in case you did we’re sharing it again, whilst spring is still with us - just! Celebrating the arrival of spring Beth penned “Spring is sprung” looking at what may be happening in your garden at this time of year and what jobs you can do to welcome insects and other wildlife into your green spaces. So, lets join Beth, as she shares lots of great tips and ideas in our recent blog "Spring is sprung”. Read the blog… Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum) on Nepeta (Cat Mint) © Claire Pumfrey Upcoming events a person holding up a cell phone displaying the words Bugs Matter Tuesday 2 June ~ Friend, Foe, or Freeloader? The Flower Crab Spider with The Biological Recording Company (online) Wednesday 3 June ~ Introduction to Botany with Kernow Wyls (Par, Cornwall) Thursday 4 June ~ Small Blue Butterfly & Bordered Brown Lacewing talk with Species on the Edge (Montrose, Scotland) Friday 5 June ~ Small Blue Butterfly Survey Day with Species on the Edge (Angus, Scotland) Sunday 7 June ~ Bug Hunt at St Andrew’s Nature Reserve with Kernow Wyls (Par, Cornwall) Tuesday 9 June ~ Bookworms! preschool story time at Canvey Island Library (Canvey, Essex) Wednesday 10 June ~ Discover the Bordered Brown Lacewing and Northern Brown Argus with Species on the Edge (St Cyrus, Scotland) Wednesday 17 June ~ The Bug Bunch! For Home Ed Families (Canvey Wick, Essex) Saturday 20 June ~ Discover the Bordered Brown Lacewing and Northern Brown Argus with Species on the Edge (St Cyrus, Scotland) Tuesday 23 June ~ Bordered Brown Lacewing ID and survey taster with Species on the Edge (Aberdeen, Scotland) Saturday 27 June ~ M.G. Leonard Author Talk & Book Signing as part of Canvey Festival of Insects (Basildon, Essex) Saturday 27 June ~ Canvey Festival of Insects (Canvey Island, Essex) Saturday 27 June ~ Moor Invertebrates Bug Hunt (Bovey Tracey, Devon) Wednesday 1 July ~ The Bug Bunch! For Home Ed Families (Canvey Wick, Essex) a flyer for the Canvey Wick Festival of Insects 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? Buglife backed by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to give a brighter future for Dartmoor’s threatened invertebrates Moor Invertebrates is an exciting new Buglife project on Dartmoor, made possible thanks to initial support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery Players, Moor Invertebrates will help to give a brighter future to eight threatened invertebrate species found across Dartmoor National Park. Moor Invertebrates will engage local communities and visitors, inspiring a love of Dartmoor’s special bugs and helping to connect people with the wonderful invertebrates living right on their doorsteps. a close up of a hoverfly on a plant Female Bog Hoverfly (Eristalis cryptarum) © Steven Falk Read the story… For all our latest news please visit our website News Pages. Buglife shop The Buglife Shop is open for all your invertebrate needs, offering more ethical options and ways for you to support bugs. Whether you’re looking for clothing, insurance, home accessories or gifts for a loved one; there’s something for everyone! a packet of native wildflower seeds Nurture the Night Shift Jute Bag Visit Buglife’s shop Adopt a Bug Exciting shop news! In addition to our usual offerings our Spring/Summer Brochure, brought to you in partnership with Red Robin, is here! From stationary to home furnishings, bee hotels to clothing - bring a little cheer to your home and support Buglife in the process! Spring/Summer Brochure Don't forget you can stay up to date with the work of the Buglife team via Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube! Thank you for your continued interest in and support of our work; together we can save the small things that run the planet! The Buglife Team Join the Buglife Community Donate 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 communications electronically from Buglife. 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