FROM BRITISH TRUST FOR ORNITHOLOGY — JANUARY NEWSLETTER

The BTO logo – Birds Science People View this email in your web browser Smew, by Sarah Kelman / BTO Dear John, Welcome to the Member Edition of the first BTO newsletter of 2026! The final week of January has been wet and windy for many. Despite this, we have received reports of singing thrushes, Great Tits and Dunnocks, as well as some early nesting attempts made by Robins, Woodpigeons and Collared Doves. Thank you to everyone who has been out surveying for us over recent weeks, whether that's for WeBS, the International Swan Census, the Winter Bird Survey or our other schemes. Every record counts and is making a difference for birds. In this month's newsletter you can learn how Heronries Census data are helping Little Egrets, and why Spotted Flycatchers are being lost from some areas but not others. Find out how you can also help us by classifying camera trap data or completing a questionnaire, and how you can help yourself by taking advantage of our next set of training courses. The Call We wanted to start the first newsletter of the year by sharing a reflection from one of your fellow members. Angus writes about his love for the wild geese that fly over his home in Carnoustie, Scotland, sounding a call that echoes across the ages. Read more We love hearing from our members about their experiences in nature and their thoughts on our work. Email membershipteam@bto.org to share your story. How many Little Egrets? Volunteers in the BTO Heronries Census are making a key contribution to the monitoring of our growing Little Egret population, as a new paper in British Birds reveals. Some 80% of Little Egret records reaching the Rare Breeding Birds Panel (RBBP) come through the Census. The study demonstrates that the Heronries Census – coupled with additional RBBP data – can deliver robust estimates of the number of nesting attempts made by these relatively recent colonists. The paper includes an estimate of 2,236 Little Egret nests for the 2022 breeding season. We now have a robust tool through which we can monitor future changes in the Little Egret population. Find out more Little Egret, by Edmund Fellowes / BTO Help needed BTO Garden BirdWatch is working with the MammalWeb project, using camera traps to monitor garden wildlife. The project has accumulated a huge number of images, and we need your help to classify these. As an added incentive, beyond knowing you are helping important research, there's a chance to win a camera trap too. Every sequence you classify in the 'BTO GBW NE pilot' project during the competition period (from now to the end of February 2026) will count as an entry into the prize draw and one winner will be selected at random after the competition closes. Camera trap image of two Muntjac, by Mike Toms / BTO Enhancing our engagement work We'll shortly be sending out a questionnaire to members and volunteers. The results will help us to enhance our engagement with both new and existing audiences, as we seek to give as many people as possible the opportunity to interact with our work and the natural world. We believe this benefits both people and birds. If you are one of those to receive the questionnaire, we would be really grateful if you could spare the time to fill it in – it is anonymous and entirely voluntary. Latest News Understanding loss The Spotted Flycatcher is the most rapidly declining of our summer migrants, its population falling by 93% between 1967 and 2023. New research, using data from the 1988–1991 and 2008–2011 Bird Atlases, has revealed important detail on the link between landscape features (such as habitat change) and the loss of Spotted Flycatcher populations. Spotted Flycatcher, by Liz Cutting / BTO Arctic Skua status New research estimates a minimum Arctic Skua population of 185,131–395,315 pairs across Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Europe combined, but highlights a data gap for Asian Russia. Given this uncertainty, the species should perhaps be reclassified as 'Data Deficient' rather than 'Least Concern' by the IUCN Red List at a global scale. Arctic Skua, by Edmund Fellowes / BTO Featured training courses & events Bird Sound ID in Early Spring (common woodland birds) As we head into early spring the UK soundscape begins to erupt with a fantastic array of bird songs and calls. As wonderful as this is, it can prove a daunting identification task. However, it can provide you with an excellent opportunity to learn how to describe, visualise and memorise the sounds you are hearing as the season progresses. Our 'Bird Sound ID in Early Spring' course provides an opportunity to learn in a structured way, across two weekly online sessions and some supported self-study exercises. The first session explores the differences between songs and calls, and includes an interactive workshop to introduce and embed our ‘Describe–Visualise–Memorise’ approach to recognising and remembering bird sounds. The second session moves on to reviewing the self-study activities and some of the concepts covered in the first session, and we will help you hone your auditory ID skills by listening to some additional species. The course will be run by BTO staff Nick Moran, Jenny Donelan and Rob Jaques, all experienced birders, surveyors and trainers, and there will be opportunities to ask them questions during the live sessions. Please note that Bird Sound ID in Early Spring includes largely the same sound-related content as the Bird ID course that we ran during 2021–2024. COST: The programme of two weekly online sessions and supported self-study exercises costs £24. There's an option to add a donation if you wish to further support the work of BTO and are able to do so. If the cost is prohibitive, there is also a pricing option for those on lower incomes. Tuesdays 17 & 24 March at 7 p.m. Wednesdays 18 & 25 March at 10 a.m. Wednesdays 18 & 25 March at 7 p.m. Thank you for your continued support! Happy birding, The BTO Membership Team DONATE VOLUNTEER British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU. www.bto.org | info@bto.org. Registered Charity no. 216652 (England & Wales) SC039193 (Scotland). Company Limited by Guarantee no. 357284 (England and Wales) Unsubscribe from the BTO e-newsletter

AN UPDATE FROM FRIENDS OF THE EARTH

View in browser Dear John, It’s not long since we were celebrating a busy an successful 2025. But, 4 weeks into 2026, we’ve already got lots to tell you about. Read on for green fingers, a winter warmer and a way to show the love… Make the most of your small garden – online demonstration happening tonight Have you signed up for our free online gardening demonstration with Postcode Gardener Liz Moxon? Whether you have a balcony, courtyard or compact garden, growing food and flowers is achievable and deeply rewarding. This session will show how to make the most of your space – wherever you live. It’s tonight, from 7 to 8pm, and there are still spaces available – sign up now. I'LL JOIN THE WEBINAR Image of a gardener with text 'Growing and gardening in small urban spaces' Will 2026 be the year water polluters clean up their act? Last week the government published its new plan to clean up our polluted rivers, lakes and seas. We've known for years that businesses have been making huge profits while people and nature suffer. And we've been calling for radical change – but the plan didn't deliver. In a nutshell, the changes it suggested are pretty limited and extremely vague. A lot needs to change before the government launches its new Water Bill later this year. We're working with other environmental organisations to set out a vision for a real clean water revolution. We’ll set out our grand plan in March. Let’s make 2026 the year polluters clean up their act. Sign our petition telling the government to put clean water above private profit, now. I'LL SIGN THE PETITION A winter warmer The government has just announced its Warm Homes Plan – the measures it will take to bring housing in the UK up to date and safe all year round. The plan is a step forward towards greener, warmer homes in the UK. And it couldn’t have happened without the tens of thousands who signed our petition and wrote to their MPs, not to mention all the local groups who put pressure on local government and Westminster. This is YOUR win. THANK YOU. Activists stand in front of the Houses of Parliament holding quilted blankets calling for warm homes Read our summary of the plan and find out why we think it could do more for millions of people in the UK. Read the warm homes summary A reprieve for Indonesia’s rainforests You may remember our campaign last year to stop UK corporation Jardine Matheson (and its subsidiary PT Agincourt) expanding gold mining activity in North Sumatra, Indonesia. This area was hit by devastating floods and landslides at the end of last year. Thousands of people lost their lives and tens of thousands lost their homes. Deforestation from mining and other corporate activities directly worsened the impacts of these floods. So we were relieved to hear some promising news from our friends at WALHI – Friends of the Earth Indonesia. In response to this devastation, the Indonesian government has revoked the licence for PT Agincourt’s gold mine, along with 27 other permits for deforesting activities in the area. It’s an encouraging decision but WALHI has warned we must ensure it isn’t just a symbolic action. It’s calling on the Indonesian government to commit to ongoing measures to protect and restore vital ecosystems. Including a full review of all company permits in the area to stop destructive deforestation permanently. Show the love – tell your politicians what you care about The Climate Coalition is a broad group of social and environmental justice organisations unified by one thing: we passionately want to protect the things we love from climate change. This Saturday 14 February, the Coalition is encouraging people to Show the Love. Send a card – physical or online – to your MP, telling them what’s at the heart of your community. That could be clean air, warm homes or local green spaces – a short message on what you love and want to protect. It’s a powerful way to remind our elected officials about us, the individuals they represent. And what really matters to each of us. A graphic of two hands holding a green heart saying 'Save the date 14 February' Read how to take part The government’s climate plan – good enough, for now We took the last government to court over its dreadful climate plan, and you joined us in calling for a new, big and ambitious plan. Last year the government unveiled its plan and we've been studying it and considering our next steps – would we need to take legal action… again? Thanks to our hard work the government has been forced to move faster and further. This will lead to cheaper bills, warmer homes and thousands of new jobs. We would have liked to see more ambition. But the plan is significantly better than previous efforts. So we’ve made the decision not to contest it in the courts. But we’ll be keeping a close watch on the government. Its next climate plan is expected in 2027. And it must show real ambition this time. Renewable energy – countering the disinformation We’re hearing more and more talk from right wing politicians that renewable energy is unreliable and it “won’t be enough.” They say we need more fracking, more oil and more gas. But what’s the truth? Our fact checker explores the issues and counters the disinformation around renewable energy. It’s a part of an ongoing series exposing the disinformation spread by some right wing politicians about the solutions to climate breakdown. Read the facts There’s a lot to look forward to in the coming months, from action on water pollution and research on flooding to exposing dodgy timber imports. Not to mention the forthcoming local elections. We’ll be in touch soon – in the meantime stay warm and keep a look out for the first signs of spring. Thanks, Aleanna, Friends of the Earth 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

NEWS FROM BUGLIFE

Buglife Logo saving the small things that run the planet View this email in your browser Dear John Welcome to the January edition of Buglife's e-newsletter, BugBytes and a Happy New Year to all our supporters! We are back, keeping you up to date with invertebrate news, interesting snippets of information and so much more for 2026. There’s a lot going on, so let’s buzz on over and take a look without delay! The first invites were distributed last week and we’re thrilled by the number of our Members who have already signed up to join us for our Virtual Members’ Event. Tuesday 10 February 2026 from 18:00-20:00 If you would like to join us to hear about our campaigns and advocacy work, our work overseas, have an opportunity to meet some of the Buglife team and ask questions it’s not too late. Become a Member of the Buglife Community and not only will you help save the small things that run the planet but you could also join us on the 10 February! Join the Buglife Member Community Riverkin, restoring our kinship with rivers Monday 2 February will see us celebrating World Wetlands Day. Each year World Wetlands Day has a different focus, this year's focus is cultural heritage, and we've got a delightful pair of blogs heading your way! 📝 As a warm up join us in our recent blog, from Buglife Cymru Natur am Byth Scarce Yellow Sally Conservation Officer, Sarah, "Riverkin, restoring our kinship with rivers" as she explores the concept of restoring our kinship with rivers. Read the Blog The myriad lives underwater (Mayfly larvae) ©️ Sarah Hawkes This blog is also available to read in Welsh, “Riverkin, yn adfer ein perthynas ag afonydd” if you would prefer. Darllenwch y blog Stand with us to protect Loch Ness Local community groups and national wildlife organisations have come together to protect one of Scotland’s most iconic lochs and landscapes. Loch Ness in the Highlands is known around the world for its beauty and legends, with its waters and surrounding habitats supporting a wealth of wildlife. However, proposals for a new Pumped Storage Hydro development would see the destruction of ancient woodland and harmful impacts to the freshwater ecology of Loch Ness - and wildlife groups are looking for help to cover the costs of much needed legal advice and expertise to challenge the scheme. ✅ We want The Scottish Government to have the best information available, that makes it clear that there are critical impacts on both the aquatic and terrestrial environment of Loch Ness. We want an informed decision to be made that acknowledges what is at stake, from the permeant destruction of ancient habitats to changes to the entire shoreline of the iconic Loch Ness. Will you stand with us to protect Loch Ness? Protect Loch Ness A view across Loch Kemp with the words Stand with us to protect Loch Ness overlaid Since the start of our CrowdJustice appeal we have not only reached our initial target, but we are just a few hundred pounds from surpassing our stretch target. With an amazing £7,428 raised so far it is testament to how strongly people all around the country feel about protecting the special wildlife and landscape in and around Loch Ness. We would like to thank every single one of you who has liked, shared and donated to our current CrowdJustice appeal to date; the more funds we can raise, the better prepared we will be for the imminent planning inquiry. 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! Blue Ground Beetle (Carabus intricatus) © Laura Larkin Earlier this month we brightened up #BlueMonday with the relaunch of our Blue Ground Beetle (Carabus intricatus) Citizen Science survey! Blue Ground Beetles are very rare “blue bugs” and are currently only known from 15 sites in the UK; in Cornwall, Devon and South Wales. Have you ever seen what you think might be a Blue Ground Beetle whilst out walking? If you have a photo of it, no matter how long ago it was taken, we’d love it if you could share it with us! We are particularly interested in receiving more sightings and records from Cornwall. ℹ️ Good to know: The Blue Ground Beetle is a distinctive species but can be easily confused with other species of both ground beetle and oil beetles, make sure you check out our hand ID guide on our Blue Ground Beetle Hunt web page. Join this fantastic Citizen Science survey and, who knows, you might help us discover new populations across Cornwall, Devon, Wales or even elsewhere! Join the hunt Which bug would you like to see added to the directory next, there's plenty to choose from! Vote for Buglife! We're delighted to share that "Coal Spoil Connections ~ the legacy" has been officially selected and is an entrant in the Charity Film Awards! ❓What does that mean? Voting is now open and the most voted for films are shortlisted and then reviewed by a panel of judges. Wouldn't it be a fantastic end to the Buglife Cymru Coal Spoil Connections project to win at the Smiley Charity Film Awards? ✅ So, head on over. Check out the film and make sure you click that Vote button! Vote for Buglife Voting closes extended Friday 6 February 2026 so get clicking! Upcoming events Monday 2 February ~ Entographica – Insect-inspired Art Exhibition from the Entographic Collective (Bath, Somerset) Wednesday 4 February ~ The Bug Bunch! For Home Ed Families (Canvey Wick, Essex) Wednesday 4 February ~ Invertebrate Study Day with The Biological Recording Company (Natural History Museum, London) Thursday 5 February ~ Subterranean Harvestmen with The Biological Recording Company (online) Saturday 7 February ~ Trees, Bogs and Fun! with Buglife Scotland (Cumbernauld, Scotland) Tuesday 10 February ~ Bookworms! preschool story time at Canvey Island Library (Canvey Island, Essex) Tuesday 10 February ~ Buglife Virtual Members’ Event (online) Wednesday 11 February ~ Walk the Wick! New Year 2026 (Canvey Wick, Essex) Thursday 17 February ~ Mapping the Beetle Tree of Life with The Biological Recording Company (online) Sunday 22 February ~ Bee Bank Building with Life on the Edge (Prawle Point, Devon) Wednesday 15 February ~ Walk the Wick! New Year 2026 (Canvey Wick, Essex) Thursday 26 February ~ Shades of Grey: Industrial Melanism in Spiders with The Biological Recording Company (online) Wednesday 4 March ~ The Bug Bunch! For Home Ed Families (Canvey Wick, Essex) 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? New Populations of Rare Beetle Discovered in South Devon One of the UK’s most elusive beetle species, the Mediterranean Oil Beetle (Meloe mediterraneus) has been found at two new sites in South Devon by the Life on the Edge partnership project. The two new populations – at Coleton Barton and Little Dartmouth on the South Devon Coast – were discovered by local volunteers and project trainees on a nighttime survey run by multi partner project Life on the Edge (LotE) led by South Devon National Landscape, made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Mediterranean Oil Beetle (Meloe mediterraneus) © John Walters Read the story… Exciting new bee discovery on the North Cornwall coast Red Bartsia Bee (Melitta tricincta) © Paddy Saunders Red Bartsia Bee (Melitta tricincta) © Paddy Saunders The Red Bartsia Bee (Melitta tricincta) was found at Godrevy by local entomologist Paddy Saunders and Nick Holden from the National Trust. This discovery is likely the direct result of conservation work undertaken by Buglife’s North Cornwall B-Lines project in 2022 where the Red Bartsia plant was introduced to the site from seed harvested from a nearby farm. Surveys undertaken by Buglife and the National Trust at Godrevy Farm, near Gwithian have led to the exciting discovery of the nationally scarce Red Bartsia Bee at the site. Previously this bee had only been known from one other site in Cornwall where the first Cornish record for the bee in 20 years was made back in 2022. Read the story… Across the bay to Godrevy Lighthouse © Will Hawkes A buzz of hope: will you help the Tweed’s amazing pollinators? Buglife is encouraging everyone to play their part in celebrating pollinators and helping to connect pollinator-friendly habitats across the nation. In the face of growing threats to wildlife from habitat loss, fragmentation, climate change and chemicals, Buglife is calling on people across the UK to do their bit by creating pollinator-friendly habitats and adding these to the local B-Lines network. Every piece of land can help, no matter the size – from balcony herb garden or sprawling meadows. Bilberry Bumblebee (Bombus monticola) © Charlotte Rankin Bilberry Bumblebee (Bombus monticola) © Charlotte Rankin 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 shopping bag with a picture of a firefly on it a packet of native wildflower seeds Visit the Buglife shop Shop News: 🎉 Before Christmas we were delighted to launch our Bug E-Adoptions and they went down a storm! Available to purchase for yourself or as a gift to the bug enthusiast in your life, from just £15. 🖍️ Each virtual adoption pack includes a downloadable certificate, featuring original artwork by the amazing Alexandre Marrigues of Nera Studio, and a factsheet on your adopted species. Currently you can choose from: 🪸 Christmas Tree Worm (Spirobranchus giganteus); 🦋 Cinnabar Moth (Tyria jacobaeae); 🧚‍♀️ Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum); 🪲 Common Glow-worm (Lampyris noctiluca); 🐝 Hairy-footed Flower Bee (Anthophora plumipes); 🕷️ Zebra Jumping Spider (Salticus scenicus). Head on over to our shop to find out more and adopt a new friend, either for yourself or a loved one. Adopt a Bug Don't forget you can stay up to date with the work of the Buglife team via Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube! Thank you for your continued interest in and support of our work; together we can save the small things that run the planet! The Buglife Team Donate P.S. Please note that we are in the process of transitioning to new processes and systems, hopefully this will be without “computer bugs”. Your patience and understanding are hugely appreciated during this move. Facebook icon Instagram icon LinkedIn icon YouTube icon Website icon Buglife Logo Copyright © 2026 Buglife - The Invertebrate Conservation Trust. All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in to receive Member communications electronically following becoming a Member. Thank you. Our mailing address is: Buglife - The Invertebrate Conservation Trust Allia Future Business Centre London Road Peterborough, Cambridgeshire PE2 8AN United Kingdom Company No. 04132695 | Registered Charity No. 1092293 | Scottish Charity No.SC040004 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe

IT’S A REAL DAISY STORY FROM PLANTLIFE

It's time to celebrate the Daisy! View this email in your browser Donate Member Shop Hi John, Did you know that today is National Daisy Day? The Daisy definitely deserves its own day. It's underrated and often overlooked, but this small unassuming wildflower has an impressive history, fabulous folklore and is an unsung hero of the wildlife world. Join us on a journey to discover the Daisy. Discover the Daisy From January until December, the Daisy can be spotted popping out of lawns and other short grassland from road verges to meadows. It can be found in almost all temperate regions of the world, although is only native to temperate Europe. But did you know that the delicate Daisy isn't just one flower? It's actually over 100 flowers! Each of the ray florets (which appear as white petals) is an individual flower, and the disc florets (which appear as the yellow centre) are hundreds more tiny flowers Here are just a few more of our favourite flower facts for the Daisy: Bee Daisies are a wildlife wonder and great for pollinators, but also provide a food source for caterpillars, larvae and rabbits Flower The Daisy was used medicinally by people in ancient Egypt, as well as Roman soldiers Sun with rays The name Daisy comes from ‘day’s eye’, due to its tendency to open when the sun rises and close when it sets High voltageIn Austria and Germany, people used to hang Oxeye Daisies inside to repel lightning Megaphone These pretty wildflowers have also become part of our language. People often say ‘fresh as a daisy’ or that something is ‘coming up daisies’ Find out more about the delightful Daisy The Daisy is so much more than meets the eye! This wonderful wildflower also has an incredible history that links with our own dating back thousands of years! Its delicate blooms have been featured in folklore from the Celts to the Norse Gods. Head to our blog to find out more. Why not see if you can spot the first Daisies of the year - share your photos by tagging us on social media. Thank you. Charley Plantlife Nature Editor Follow Plantlife on: Instagram Instagram Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter YouTube YouTube LinkedIn LinkedIn Website Website Copyright © Plantlife All rights reserved. Plantlife International is a charitable company limited by guarantee. Registered Charity in England and Wales (1059559) & Scotland, (SC038951) Registered Company in England and Wales (3166339) Registered Office: Brewery House,36 Milford Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 2AP, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1722 342730 enquiries@plantlife.org.uk www.plantlife.org.uk Plantlife respects your privacy. You can read more about how and why we use your personal data at www.plantlife.org.uk/privacy-notice Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

INFORMATION FROM PLANTLIFE

View this email in your browser Plantlife logo - The global voice for wild plants and fungi Dear John, Do you want to have a greater impact on the world, be more connected to nature, or finally name that plant you’ve walked past every day? Well, we’re here to help. Did you know we regularly host FREE online events for Plantlife members? Join today to unlock access to our inspiring programme. You’ll learn from Plantlife experts about the impact you are having, learn more about wild plants and fungi, and take away practical tips. Plus, you’ll get exclusive access to the member talk archive with hours of extra content covering topics including gardening, road verges, temperate rainforests and fungi. Unlock access Talks coming up… In February, learn about how important individual plants species are and the fascinating relationships between plants and other wildlife. In March, peak behind-the-scenes at the incredible impact the National Lottery has had on nature restoration and our exciting new projects. In April, join historian Dr Tabitha Stanmore to uncover the deep-rooted traditions, plant knowledge and how everyday magic shaped the lives of the people who lived in the Fens in the 1600s. Join today to gain access to talks What do current members think? “Absolutely super, first class. Enthusiastic, knowledgeable presenters, good communicators and excellent graphics.” “One of the very best talks I've heard on ecological and suchlike topics, truly inspiring.” “I always learn something with your talks. I like the mixture of science and creativity.” Membership Benefits Your Plantlife membership will also include a range of other fantastic benefits including: A beautifully illustrated ID Guide of wild plants, fungi, lichens and trees Plantlife magazine, delivered to you three times a year, packed full of inspiring content Practical tips on growing a meadow in your garden and gardening peat-free Family members will also receive a fun and educational Budding Botanist activity pack for every child with every magazine And most importantly, by becoming a member, you’re helping to protect the wild plants and fungi that are vital to all life on Earth. Make a difference to nature Best wishes Rebecca James Membership Team Carpet of snowdrops Follow Plantlife on: Instagram Instagram Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter YouTube YouTube LinkedIn LinkedIn Website Website Copyright © Plantlife All rights reserved. Plantlife International is a charitable company limited by guarantee. Registered Charity in England and Wales (1059559) & Scotland, (SC038951) Registered Company in England and Wales (3166339) Registered Office: Brewery House,36 Milford Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 2AP, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1722 342730 enquiries@plantlife.org.uk www.plantlife.org.uk Plantlife respects your privacy. You can read more about how and why we use your personal data at www.plantlife.org.uk/privacy-notice Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

PROTECT THE WILD SUPPLY VIDEO CAMS AND THIS IS WHAT CAN BE PROVED

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more South Norfolk Hunt Sabs video the Essex and Suffolk Hunt Using cameras provided by Protect the Wild JAN 27 READ IN APP Two years ago we launched “The Protect the Wild Equipment Fund’, aiming to provide equipment to individuals or groups who are working as ‘eyes in the field’ to tackle wildlife crime and protect wildlife. Our first purchase was radios for the excellent Cheshire Borderland Monitors, who wrote in a blog for us that the radios would enable them to stay in touch with each other on the ground, monitoring hunts, and ultimately protecting the wild. Since then we have sent thousands of pounds worth of equipment to many groups. Everything from radios and camcorders to bodycams and drones. One of the groups we have supported is the South Norfolk Hunt Saboteurs who “help wildlife escape those trying to hurt and kill them in south Norfolk and beyond.” They regularly sab the Essex and Suffolk Hunt across ‘Buckleshire’ (mockingly named for the local Buckle family who run the Hunt). Towards the end of 2025 the South Norfolk Hunt Sabs asked if we would upgrade their bodycams to enable them to catch the Hunt breaking the law yet again. We were very happy to do so, and the sabs have sent us the following report: Essex and Suffolk Hunt. Image South Norfolk Hunt Saboteurs Following Protect the Wild’s generous sharing of our story about Zed Security attacking us during a meet of the Essex and Suffolk Hunt, it followed up with an offer through its Equipment Fund. We’re a pretty small group and mostly self-funded, so we don’t have too much in the way of equipment needs. However, we’d recently run into an issue where our group-owned body cameras were too poor quality for our purposes. As a result, we asked for a couple of new ones from Protect the Wild – specifically DJI Osmo Action 1s, which though old still provide great quality footage at a relatively low cost. We received them and used them the following Saturday. It was a good thing we did. On their first outing, one of the cameras captured very clear footage of hounds from the Essex and Suffolk Hunt chasing a fox through Semer Wood. The meet was held at Dairy Farm, owned by the hunt’s former master and ubiquitous Suffolk personality James Buckle, on 29th November 2025. Semer Wood is part of Buckle’s property and a frequent hunting ground for the Essex and Suffolk Hunt. Two of our sabs were in the right place at the right time to see and film outgoing huntsman John Henty allow the pack to chase a fox to ground in Semer Wood. We then stopped the hounds from marking to ground for too long, forcing Henty to eventually call the pack away. This footage would absolutely not have been captured had we not received those new bodycams. Our old ones would have been too blurry and low-res to effectively display what we were seeing with our eyes. The Osmo Action, on the other hand, provides insight into yet another example – as though any more were really needed – of a hunt chasing a fox as though the practice were never banned. Thank you to Protect the Wild and all its supporters for helping us capture this moment and continue helping the nationwide-exposé of this vile (not to mention criminal) activity. For the full report - Report #88: Essex and Suffolk Hunt @ Dairy Farm, Semer, 29/11/25 - please read South Norfolk Hunt Saboteurs Substack. Image South Norfolk Hunt Saboteurs We are proud that we’ve been able to help the South Norfolk Hunt Saboteurs through our Equipment Fund. We are proud - but also hugely grateful to our supporters. Because it is YOU that enable us to help these brave folk. Your contributions go directly into protecting wildlife by supporting activists in the field in multiple ways. It not only pays for the equipment that keep eyes on hunts and other wildlife abusers, it funds undercover operations that expose cruelty hidden from the public, AND it ensures frontline activists have access to free mental health support so they can keep going in what is often a relentless and emotionally draining fight (please see ‘Over a hundred mental health sessions given to animal rights activists!’). Every single pound is ring fenced and used for this work alone. It fuels the people and the tools that make a real difference for foxes, badgers, birds and all the other wildlife targeted by abusers. If you want to be part of this fight, please chip in a few pounds each month. Together we can give activists the strength, the resources and the support they need to protect wildlife and hold these cowards to account. Become a monthly supporter If you’re an individual or organisation working in the field and would like our support, please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you. SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

FROM MARINE CONSERVATION — LOOKING AFTER WONDERFUL THINGS UNDER OUR WATER

Find out the impact we had last year View in browser A pod of dolphins breaching the sea's surface. Text overlay 'Annual impact round-up. Big wins for the ocean in 2025.' Credit: Getty Images Hi John, Last year, with you, our passionate community, we once again helped protect, regenerate and restore our ocean. Together, we were able to achieve great things in 2025. So, I want to share some of these great moments with you. Read on for a few key highlights, and if you'd like all the details, I've popped in a link for you to read our full Annual Impact Report. Highlights in numbers Conservation Native oysters being held by someone in orange safety gloves. Text overlay '61,800 native oysters were deployed through restoration projects' Credit: Maverick Photo Agency We continue to make huge strides in native oyster restoration with our successful projects in Scotland and around the UK. From the 61,800 oysters we restored last year, an estimated 12 million litres of water will be filtered every single day. Through the full duration of the collaborative Dornoch Environmental Enhancement Project, we released the 100,000th oyster to the Dornoch Firth. Advocacy and Education Three people kneeling and looking into a rockpool on a sunny day with blue skies. Text overlay 'We engaged with over 21,280 people at schools and in our communities' Credit: Billy ​Barraclough We delivered 600 community engagement sessions to over 270 schools and community groups. This means 21,280 people have a better understanding of, and a stronger connection to, our shared ocean. 17,500 young people attended in-person or online events to learn how to protect the seas. Volunteering and Citizen Science Large white jellyfish with long stingers flowing in blue sea water. Text overlay '2,400 species monitoring surveys were submitted by citizen scientists' Credit: Peter ​Bardsley Data collected by you, our members, volunteers and citizen scientists is vital evidence we need to back up our advocacy work and policy asks, as well as helping us understand the state of our environment. In total, 2,400 species surveys and 1,250 litter surveys were submitted last year. Nearly 4,000 new volunteers joined our fantastic community of Sea Champions. Almost 2,000 company volunteers hit the beach to help clean up our coastlines. Ocean Action and Advocacy Group of people on a sandy beach with litter pickers and green rubbish bags, and someone bent over lifting a tire. Text overlay '16,000kg of litter was removed from our beaches by volunteers' Credit: Marine Conservation Society, Liz ​Bassindale The dedication and over 17,100 hours of hard work from our volunteers cleaned 16,700kg of litter from our shores. Through the 4,000 mentions across broadcast and online media, we raised the profile of our ocean, the challenges it's facing, and what we need to do to protect it. Our evidence and advocacy were included in 20 mentions across debates, ministerial statements, parliamentary questions and motions. An increase of almost double in 2024. Thank you From everyone here at the Marine Conservation Society, thank you. Your support makes a colossal impact all year round. If you'd like to dive into the details, you can read our annual impact report: Dive into more of our 2025 impacts If anything you've read about in this email has inspired you to get more involved, find out other ways you can support the seas and our work on our website. Let's see what amazing things we can achieve together this year. Lewi Jinks Marketing Officer Marine Conservation Society Donate Contact us Unsubscribe The Marine Conservation Society is the UK charity dedicated to protecting our seas, shores and wildlife. Marine Conservation Society | Company Limited by Guarantee (England and Wales) No. 2550966 Registered Charity No. England and Wales No. 1004005 | Scotland No. SC037480 VAT No. 321 4912 32 Registered Office: Overross House, Ross Park, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, HR9 7US. Scottish Office: CBC House, 24 Canning Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8EG.

FROM PROTECT THE WILD — MORE DITHERING BY THOSE INPOWER ON THE HUNTERS

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Few convictions means no illegal hunting? Ten cases that illustrate why that's not true. Pro-hunt lobbyists wrong again. TOM ANDERSON JAN 25 ∙ GUEST POST READ IN APP Since the publication of Labour’s animal welfare strategy just before Christmas, there has been ever more desperate pushback from pro-hunt lobbyists like the British Hound Sports Association, the Countryside Alliance and pro-hunt MPs in the UK parliament (overwhelmingly from the ranks of the Conservatives and the far-right Reform UK). The 07 January parliamentary debate on rural communities was replete with tired old tropes about how the architects of the new ban don’t understand ‘country life’ and that ‘rural communities’ are firmly in support of fox hunting (to read why that’s a lot of old claptrap click here). But another pro-hunt argument was wheeled out as well. Tory MP Stuart Anderson argued that because there have only been a supposed 44 convictions since the Hunting Act was passed in 2004, it follows that hunters must all be law-abiding souls just trying to go out and lawfully trail hunt. In fact, there have been at least 59 convictions covering 78 charges of illegal hunting under Section 1 of the Hunting Act. Protect the Wild knows of another eight cases that have yet to be heard in court. It’s important to state clearly that those 59 successful cases only made it into court because of the huge efforts of UK wildlife defenders who meticulously gathered evidence of wildlife crime and handed it to the police. Why evidence often doesn’t lead to convictions Just because there is evidence that illegal hunting has taken place doesn’t guarantee a conviction under the current political and legislative regime. Here are a few reasons why Hunting Act cases often end in failure: To start with, wildlife crimes are not notifiable, they are usually treated as minor, and prosecutions for illegal hunting are “summary only” offences usually heard in magistrates’ courts, meaning that typically fewer resources are allocated. Protect the Wild and many other organisations have argued for years that wildlife crimes MUST be taken more seriously. Cases never make it to court in the first place because of a lack of will by the Police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), or get thrown out because of mistakes made by the CPS and police. This is a consequence of the low priority given to prosecuting Hunting Act offences. Police bias in favour of hunts is undoubtedly a big factor. Members of hunt groups are typically from a massively privileged section of society which the police are used to showing deference and respect. They often exert undue influence on police forces. This has been well documented in the case of the Warwickshire Hunt by West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs. The CPS regularly deems that the evidence (video, eye witness accounts etc) is insufficient. We all benefit from a presumption of ‘innocent until proven guilty’, but wildlife defenders are repeatedly held to an impossibly high standard of evidence before the CPS will take potential wildlife crime prosecutions forward. Crucially, the CPS needs to prove that hunters intended to breach the Hunting Act, an obstacle which could be overcome by including a crime of ‘recklessly allowing a creature to be hunted with hounds’ into the new legislation. Hunts regularly use the smokescreen that they were lawfully trail hunting to avoid conviction. The CPS have to prove beyond reasonable doubt that they weren’t following a trail. Hunts argue that any mammals killed are a result of them accidentally crossing the path of the pack of hounds while the dogs are innocently following a trail. Labour’s proposal to ban trail hunting would do away with this straw-man argument once and for all. Hunters are often acquitted on the basis that they were not in control of the hounds when a chase takes place. Again, this could be dealt with by adding a ‘recklessness’ clause into new legislation. Exemptions written into the Hunting Act are exploited by hunts every day. Hunts - in particular stag hunts - utilise an exemption in the Hunting Act which allows hunting with a maximum of two dogs for the purpose of supposed ‘research’ or ‘observation’. No research has ever been submitted and peer-reviewed, and in reality two dogs are used in relay, being replaced by two more from the pack when the first two get tired. Flushing to guns is another key exemption in the Hunting Act used by fox and stag hunts, though it is limited to flushing using just two dogs. Hunts typically argue that the dogs are only used to flush out their prey in order for them to be shot and killed. Lastly, Hunts often include violent and aggressive members. We know from numerous emails and discussions that witnesses (usually ordinary members of the public from the same villages and towns as the hunt staff and followers) feel intimidated at the prospect of giving evidence against them. Without witnesses, accounts become easier to throw out. The above aren’t persuasive on their own. What we need is proof. So here are ten case studies that illustrate just how difficult it is to convict under the Hunting Act. 1) Exmoor Foxhounds: The first ever Hunting Act case (2005) In 2005, just months after the Hunting Act came into force, Tony Wright of the Exmoor Foxhounds became the first ever person to be convicted after a private prosecution by the League Against Cruel Sports (LACS). LACS’ footage showed foxes being flushed out of their hiding places and the hounds giving chase, followed by a prolonged pursuit. One of the foxes was later shot, which is not prohibited under the Act. Wright said that the foxes were being flushed out purely for the purpose of shooting, but the judge didn’t believe him and said that Wright was instead leading a “traditional hunt”, in breach of the new Hunting Act. However, Wright appealed and eventually had his conviction overturned in 2007. His appeal hinged on the argument that the hounds were searching for an unspecified mammal for the purpose of flushing them out to be shot. Sadly, the High Court ruled in favour of Wright’s legal team and thus established an extremely damaging precedent that in order to be in breach of the Act hunts had to be using dogs to hunt a specified mammal (meaning the CPS need to prove not only that a hunt was intending to pursue a mammal with hounds but also that they had identified a particular creature to be hunted). The High Court also gave the view that it was down to the CPS to prove that defendants weren’t using one of the many exemptions in the Hunting Act. 2) Vale of White Horse Hunt (2022) Fox running in footage from a case against the Vale of White Horse Hunt A fox runs from the Vale of White Horse Hunt. Screenshot via HIT On January 5th 2022 Protect The Wild supported the Hunt Investigation Team (HIT) with their exposé of the Vale of White Horse (VWH) Hunt which saw the group deliberately and intentionally hunt a fox. In video footage, VWH member and land-owner Verity Drewett can be seen shouting and identifying the fox to the hunt so that she can be hunted. She even ensures the fox is unable to seek safety in a barn and states how she ‘turned him’ before describing the whereabouts of the animal to Duncan Drewett, senior member of the VWH Hunt. The terriermen responsible for bolting the fox from the barn on 5 January were also filmed doing the same thing at a meet on December 8th 2021. A fox was also seen at the back of the barn this day, and hours later a red coat was seen at the exact same spot as the fox. The site was filmed for a period of two days, and over this time not a single trail was seen being laid through the farm or anywhere around the farm. Even though the evidence was clear as day, when the case finally made it to court in 2023 a trail of errors by Wiltshire Police and the CPS led to the case being dismissed. Crucially, the CPS lawyer hadn’t got his act together to ensure that his witnesses would be available to attend court. 3) The Royal Artillery Hunt (2021) A fox runs from Charles Carter of the Royal Artillery Hunt. A fox runs from Charles Carter of the Royal Artillery Hunt, via Salisbury Plain Monitors Salisbury Plain Monitors captured footage on 30 October 2021 showing a fox running ahead of Charles Carter, huntsman of the Royal Artillery Hunt (RAH), as he made a call known as ‘doubling-down’ on his horn to encourage the hounds onto a fox’s scent. The fox then turns toward a covert of trees and, as the cameraperson runs to keep up, a hunt supporter can be heard shouting “hold up” into the covert. ‘Holding up’ refers to the practice of keeping foxes inside a covert to make it easier for hounds to catch and kill them. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) police charged Carter in May 2022. However, after two plea hearings in which Carter plead not guilty, the charge was dropped due to what Sergeant Clive Wooding told Salisbury Plain Monitors was a “legal technicality”. In fact, owing to a bank holiday weekend, the MOD Police had missed the file submission date agreed with Swindon Magistrates Court by just one day, a serious procedural error that can lead to severe consequences for a case, ranging from financial penalties to the case being dismissed entirely (”struck out”) - as happened here... 4) The Holderness Hunt (2019) A vixen is torn apart by the Holderness Hunt - Screenshot from video filmed by Hull Wildlife Protectors. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dropped a seemingly cast-iron case against the Holderness Hunt last year. The Hunt had been caught red-handed on New Year’s Day 2019 allowing its hounds to chase and kill a vixen. Members of the Holderness were filmed flushing dense, impenetrable gorse. The hounds cried loudly and urgently, signifying that they had picked up a scent. Hunt staff, including then-Hunt Master and Huntsman Charles Clark, responded with horn calls, encouraging them on. The entire hunt and its supporters watched on as a vixen was flushed and ripped apart by the hounds. The footage from Hull Wildlife Protectors showed all of this perfectly clearly, but the CPS dropped the case anyway claiming the evidence was insufficient. 5) Devon and Somerset Staghounds (2024) followers enjoying the spectacle of terrified animals running for their lives, before the killing of the stag in Twitchen Devon - Photo courtesy of North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs Hunt supporters enjoyed the spectacle of terrified animals running for their lives, before the killing of the stag in Twitchen, Devon - Photo courtesy of North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs During a hunt at Twitchen in Devon, hunters separated a young stag from his pack. He was pursued by a pair of dogs, who were swapped out at times with others from a pack of hounds. When the desperate animal managed to reach the edge of the moorland and possible safety, the Hunt and their supporters lined up in vehicles to turn him around. Finally, after misjudging a leap of a fence, the hounds caught up with him. A member of the Staghounds shot the stag, and he was carved up. Ample video footage - including video of the kill itself - was provided to Avon & Somerset Police and Devon & Cornwall Constabulary by Wildlife Guardian and North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs. Police officers took statements and were also present during the hunt itself. However, neither force was willing to take the case to the CPS. The hunt likely used an exemption to the Hunting Act. The Act allows hunts to hunt with a maximum of two dogs ‘for the purpose of or in connection with the observation or study of the wild mammal.’ However, to the best of our knowledge no hunt has ever released any peer-reviewed research as a result of all their killing. Hounds are used in relay to get round the two dogs rule. To stop this from happening again, all exemptions in the Hunting Act must be removed. Specifically, “there should be no provision in the Act to employ any number of dogs to hunt wild mammals.” 6) Kimblewick Hunt (2020) Thames Valley Police refused to prosecute the Kimblewick Hunt despite being provided with footage of them chasing a fox and then feeding his body to the hounds in the moments after the kill. The killing took place on private land, and the landowner said that there was no attempt to call off the hounds. In fact, they were being egged on. Police interviewed huntsman Andrew Sallis, but decided not to pass the case to the CPS. The Hunt Saboteurs Association (HSA) reported that police officers told the landowner that “in relation to hunting offences we have to have evidence of the suspect having set out intending to hunt a fox that day, which even despite the CCTV evidence we do not have.” With other comparable offences, such as people arrested under public order legislation at protests or while out sabbing, arrestees would expect to have to take the stand and explain their intentions in court. This is often not so in the case of wildlife crime, and illustrates again how crimes against foxes and other non-human animals are treated as minor. The HSA also suspected police bias in favour of the hunt in this case. 7) Puckeridge Hunt (2021) Arun Squires, huntsman of the Puckeridge (now the Puckeridge with Essex Union) Hunt was acquitted in 2023 despite drone footage clearly showing him egging on hounds to kill a fox. Squires claimed he had laid a trail six hours earlier, and said that he thought he was encouraging the hounds along a trail. CPS lawyers quite reasonably argued that a trail could not remain in place for over six hours in heavy rain, but Squires said he believed it could. The District Judge trying the case said he suspected that Squires was illegally hunting, but that he had to be sure ‘beyond reasonable doubt’. North London Hunt Saboteurs, who captured the drone footage used in the case, wrote at the time: “We will be using what happened on the 27th December 2021, and yesterday at Stevenage Magistrates, to lobby the authorities. The footage we took on our drone, is invaluable, and we will be using it inexhaustibly to raise awareness of the farce of “trail hunting,” the requirement for a ban on “trail hunting,” and the introduction of a recklessness clause. No person of reasonable compunction could ever agree that the law should allow a person to get away with what our footage shows, and the Hunting Act, should be redesigned to properly prevent it.” Show Quoted Content “We will be using what happened on the 27th December 2021, and yesterday at Stevenage Magistrates, to lobby the authorities. The footage we took on our drone, is invaluable, and we will be using it inexhaustibly to raise awareness of the farce of “trail hunting,” the requirement for a ban on “trail hunting,” and the introduction of a recklessness clause. No person of reasonable compunction could ever agree that the law should allow a person to get away with what our footage shows, and the Hunting Act, should be redesigned to properly prevent it.” 8) Belvoir Hunt (2023) John Holliday John Holliday was acquitted despite horrific footage taken by Nottingham Hunt Saboteurs of the Belvoir Hunt chasing and killing a fox. John Holliday, huntsman of the Belvoir Hunt, stood trial in July 2023 for the killing of a fox near Leicester in 2022. Footage supplied to the CPS by Nottingham Hunt Saboteurs (NHS) was crystal clear. The hounds can be seen pursuing a fox as members of the Hunt watch unconcerned. No one from the Hunt tried to call the hounds off, either with their voices or with horns. The fox was savaged and eventually died in the arms of hunt saboteurs, who tried their best to save her. Surprise, surprise... Holliday argued that he thought the hounds were following a scent, and the court decided it couldn’t conclusively prove that he intended to hunt a mammal with hounds. According to Action Against Foxhunting (AAF), a call was made to call the hounds back after the fox had already been attacked. The intention of this final call may have been to establish plausible deniability. AAF emphasised that Holliday was a ‘veteran huntsman’ who should have controlled the hounds. They argued that “accidentally or recklessly killing a wild mammal with hounds should be an offence” and that hunts should “be able to produce proof that they have trained their hounds not to pursue wild mammals.” 9) Wynnstay Hunt (2022) The case against Chris Woodward of the Wynnstay Hunt collapsed at the eleventh hour. Cheshire Monitors had recorded damning video of illegal hunting, but the person who took the video didn’t attend court because of fear of repercussions from hunt members. Cheshire Monitors published footage showing hounds from the Wynnstay Hunt chasing a fox across an open field on 7 February 2022. In the video, Woodward rode closely behind the pack and took no action to stop the hounds chasing the fox. The incident occurred in Pickhill, near Wrexham, and was filmed by an independent member of the public. Fear of violence from hunts is very real. Hunt members and their employees and supporters have been convicted of violent attacks against wildlife defenders and have also attacked houses and property. Since the 2022 case, the Wynnstay’s use of violent rascist thugs to counter the efforts of sabs and monitors has been uncovered. In July 2023, a hunt supporter who was filmed performing a Nazi salute pleaded guilty to aggravated harassment. In July 2024, a Wynnstay Hunt security guard was convicted of racial abuse. 10) Dunston Harriers (2022) Geoffrey Block, Josh Worthington-Hayes and Lewis Ryland of the Dunston Harriers leave Great Yarmouth Magistrates' Court along with their lawyer Stephen Welford In 2023, three members of the Dunston Harriers were acquitted in Great Yarmouth. They had faced charges of illegally hunting after Norfolk and Suffolk Against Live Quarry Hunting recorded the Harriers’ hounds chasing a hare. The filmed chase took place in a field north of Lopham Grove in Fersfield, Norfolk. Geoffrey Block, Josh Worthing-Hayes and Lewis Ryland were eventually found not guilty on the grounds that Block was - according to the court’s finding - not in control of the hounds and the three defendants couldn’t run to stop the dogs (if they had wanted to, that is) because the field where the chase took place had been freshly drilled ready for planting. The three also claimed that a trail had earlier been laid. In summary, the case ended in acquittal because the CPS didn’t 100% prove their intention to illegally hunt. This problem of proving intention could be easily rectified by creating an offence of allowing the hunting of a mammal with dogs through recklessness. The above ten cases clearly show that because there has been ‘only’ 59 convictions under the Hunting Act it doesn’t follow that hunts have been busy lawfully trail hunting for the last two decades. Protect the Wild’s Rob Pownall emphasised that the key to halting this cycle of failed prosecutions was to ban trail hunting. He said: “Time and again, cases collapse not because hunts are innocent, but because trail hunting provides a ready-made loophole. Even when foxes are clearly chased and killed on camera, prosecutions fail because intent is almost impossible to prove under the current legislation.” We need your help to make hunting a thing of the past: Read Protect the Wild’s proposal for a workable ban on the hunting of mammals with hounds. Take a look at our report on how difficult it really is to get a hunting conviction. Sign our petition calling for a proper ban on hunting. Read our 2025 report, ‘The True Face of Hunting with Hounds’. While parliament is debating a renewed ban on ‘trail hunting’ and the closing of loopholes in the law, wildlife is still in peril on a daily basis. Please consider making 2026 the year you join your local group of hunt saboteurs or monitors. Image of John Holliday via Countryside Alliance/YouTube screenshot. Video of Chris Woodward of the Wynnstay hunting courtesy of Cheshire Monitors. Image of fox running from the Vale of White Horse Hunt via screenshot/Hunt Investigation Team. Image of fox running from the Royal Artillery Hunt via Salisbury Plain Monitors. Photo of stag hunt in Twitchen, Devon courtesy of North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs. Puckeridge Hunt footage via North London Hunt Saboteurs. Picture of the Holderness Hunt’s hounds ripping up a vixen via Hull Wildlife Defenders. Many thanks to all the sabs and monitors who continue to take considerable risks to document cruelty and lawbreaking by hunts. Be part of a growing movement backing Protect the Wild Protect the Wild is independent by design. We don’t take money from corporations, industry bodies, or political interests. Everything we do - undercover investigations, hard-hitting animations, fearless journalism, reports, and campaigns — is powered by thousands of ordinary people giving a few pounds a month. Whether it be shutting down the Guga hunt and ending hunting with hounds or taking on the bird shooting industry and speaking out for Badgers in the campaign to end the cull. If you believe British wildlife deserves defenders who won’t compromise become a monthly supporter today. Become a Monthly Supporter A guest post by Tom Anderson Journalist for Protect the Wild Subscribe to Tom SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

FORESTRY ENGLAND & WELL BEING AMONGST THE TREES — I WILL PLANT FIVE MORE TOMORROW

View online > A woman sits at the bottom of a tree, tilting her face to the sun Elevate your energy in the forest this year There's no better time than these first frost-touched months to map out a year rooted in the nourishing power of the forest. When you step into the trees, you're putting your mental and physical health right at the top of your priority list, exactly where they belong. From exploring new trails for the first time to dipping your toe into the art of forest bathing, here are 10 reasons to spend time in the forest in 2026. Take a look A woman crouches down in her Muck Boots and a khaki coat to say hello to a dog Share what you're thankful for and win We've teamed up with our wellbeing partner, Muck Boots, to bring you a chance to win a goody bag packed with treats perfect for forest lovers. The prize includes a pair of Muck Boots, a membership, and your choice of our cosy clothing. Enter now View of forest and hills from Carron Crag trail at Grizedale 12 forest viewpoints to discover in 2026 If one of your new year's resolutions was to embrace nature, let us help with this handy list of our forests' most breathtaking viewpoints. Get a panoramic new perspective and while you're there, sample what each of these unique locations have to offer. See the list Pine marten standing on a log Our nature highlights of 2025 2025 was another exciting year of incredible firsts and long-awaited returns in the nation's forests. From beaver kits born at Cropton Forest to the reintroduction of pine martens to their native habitat of Exmoor National Park, here's a roundup of our biggest breakthroughs of the last year. Read the blog A woman looks upwards at the forest canopy over her head Leave a gift that grows the future A gift in your will is a meaningful way to care for the forests you love. Your legacy will help support wildlife, nurture nature, and ensure future generations can enjoy their beauty and wonder. Download our free guide today. Find out more Two women on a Go Ape zip line Escape the ordinary all year round with Go Ape Rediscover your spark with a Go Ape Annual Pass. Step away from the digital noise and reconnect with nature, yourself, and those who matter most. Enjoy year-round forest adventures and find your escape in the canopy. Explore now Banner titled 'National membership', with a badge saying 'Now only £8 a month' and subtitled 'Terms and conditions apply.' framing a family walking through the forest. Pin icon Visit Heart icon Membership Donate icon Donate Fb Ig P Yt Hero image photo credit: Johnny Hathaway This newsletter contains personalised links for you. Protect your personal data by using this link to safely share the content you love with friends. Forestry England, 620 Bristol Business Park, Coldharbour Lane Bristol. BS16 1EJ Content not quite right for you? Change or update your interest preferences or favourite forests. If you prefer not to receive emails from us, please unsubscribe. Privacy policy.

FROM PROTECT THE WILD — SCOTS TO CONSIDER GUGA HUNT AFTER MAY — ITS A SLOW GRIND!

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Guga hunt petition carried into next Parliament as pressure mounts on NatureScot ROB POWNALL JAN 21 READ IN APP Photo taken at Protect the Wild’s demonstration today outside the Scottish Parliament calling for an end to the Guga hunt Today, Protect the Wild returned to Edinburgh for another protest outside the Scottish Parliament as Rachel Bigsby’s petition calling for an end to the licensing of the Guga hunt on Sula Sgeir reached a critical stage. While the Scottish Government confirmed it has no plans to amend Section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, the committee made the significant decision to shortlist the petition as one of the few that will remain open and carry over into the next Parliament, due to the Scottish elections taking place this May. That matters. The committee explicitly conceded that it did not have enough time to properly debate or scrutinise the issue before the election. In political terms, that is a semi-victory. The petition wasn’t dismissed, parked, or closed down. It was recognised as too important to rush, and that acknowledgement alone speaks volumes about the level of public concern. The petition, started by nature photographer Rachel Bigsby (speaking below) and supported by Protect the Wild, calls for an end to the annual licensing of the Guga hunt, a practice that involves killing young gannets just weeks before they would fledge. While defenders frame it as tradition, the reality is that it is increasingly impossible to justify at a time when seabirds are under severe pressure from avian influenza, climate breakdown, and declining food availability. That concern deepened further when a licence was granted in 2025 despite bird flu affecting the colony. The Scottish Government’s refusal today to change the law is deeply disappointing, but it does not mean future hunts are inevitable. Far from it. The power now sits squarely with NatureScot, which must decide each year whether to grant a licence and whether doing so is compatible with the long-term stability of the Sula Sgeir gannet population. Based on the available evidence, it is becoming increasingly difficult to see how any robust assessment could honestly conclude that continued killing is compatible with that duty. The RSPB has already highlighted that the number of breeding birds on Sula Sgeir fell by 23% between 2021 and 2023, with highly pathogenic avian influenza the suspected cause. It has called for the licensing of the hunt to be paused until populations recover to pre-HPAI levels and disease risk falls from Very High to at least Medium. Add to that the welfare concerns inherent in killing young birds before they have even left the nest, and the case for caution becomes overwhelming. Public opinion is unequivocal. The petition has now passed 80,000 signatures, making it one of the most supported petitions since the Scottish Parliament’s system was introduced in 2004. A FindOutNow survey commissioned by Protect the Wild in late 2025 found that 72% of people do not believe the hunt is culturally important, and 69% believe it should be banned outright. So while today’s debate didn’t deliver legislative change, it did something else just as important. It drew a clear line. From this point on, no one can claim this issue hasn’t been scrutinised, challenged, or opposed at scale. More people than ever before are now aware about the Guga hunt and share our desire to see it ended. Today’s events were covered yet again by the BBC and some of Scotland’s biggest papers (The Scotsman and The Herald). As brilliantly put by Devon Docherty from Animal Concern, today very much marks day one of a renewed and focused campaign calling on NatureScot to withdraw the licence. The question it must now answer is simple. Will it continue to permit the killing of young gannets while the colony has yet to properly recover from avian flu and other threats, or will it continue to allow this senseless slaughter to continue. A clear majority of people already know the answer. SIGN THE PETITION TO NATURESCOT Be part of a growing movement backing Protect the Wild Protect the Wild is independent by design. We don’t take money from corporations, industry bodies, or political interests. Everything we do - undercover investigations, hard-hitting animations, fearless journalism, reports, and campaigns — is powered by thousands of ordinary people giving a few pounds a month. Whether it be shutting down the Guga hunt and ending hunting with hounds or taking on the bird shooting industry and speaking out for Badgers in the campaign to end the cull. If you believe British wildlife deserves defenders who won’t compromise become a monthly supporter today. Become a Monthly Supporter 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 — A DIVIDED NATION — SOME WANT TO KILL FOR THEIR FUN

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Tory MP's opinion poll on hunting not worth the paper it's written on Stuart Anderson, Tory MP for South Shropshire, proves nothing... TOM ANDERSON JAN 20 ∙ GUEST POST READ IN APP Stuart Anderson, Tory MP for South Shropshire, has released an opinion poll on the Labour government’s plans to enact a stronger ban on trail hunting. Both Anderson’s poll and his statements at the recent parliamentary debate on rural communities are questionable to say the least. Anderson, whose share of the vote in 2024 was down -31%, is joining the likes of Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage, who nailed his pro-hunt colours firmly to the mast once again when he attended a Boxing Day Hunt in Kent. He’s also in company with Conservative MP for Thirsk and Malton Kevin Hollinrake, who has been spearheading the parliamentary pro-bloodsport camp. Anderson shared a video on Facebook with a headline that 63% of South Shropshire residents who took part in a recent poll were against tightening the law on trail hunting. In it he pledges his own support for so-called ‘trail hunting’. However, it doesn’t take much insight to see that these figures are hardly representative of a majority view. In the first place, the ‘survey’ was on Anderson’s personal website, which almost certainly immediately limits who would see it to his supporters. His views are well-known, and the ‘survey’ was placed below a paragraph of text that opened with: “The government’s plan to ban trail hunt is yet more proof that the government does not understand rural communities like South Shropshire. For many of us, trail hunting is an important tradition...” Unbiased, it was not… Even with such overt campaigning, less than 2.5% of South Shropshire residents responded. The poll simply showed that 1196 of the 76k+ residents in his constituency were against the ban. It proved nothing. This fact didn’t escape those who read Anderson’s post on Facebook, one person quite rightly asking: “Can you confirm the political affiliation of the 1899 people who completed the survey please? Likely that the majority who saw the survey on social media or on your website were supporters of yours, so it probably wasn’t truly representative of the electorate. Please don’t dress it up as the views of the majority of South Shropshire.” Protect the Wild’s founder Rob Pownall was also unimpressed by Anderson’s poll. He commented: “Cherry-picked surveys don’t equal public support. The vast majority of people in this country, both in urban and rural areas want to see an end to hunting with hounds, and it’s time for Stuart Anderson to respect that fact, and represent the views of the public, not side with a tiny handful of people desperate to keep this sick pastime alive.” The law has been failing to protect foxes Anderson, who narrowly avoided defeat by Lib-Dem candidate Matthew Green in 2024, took part in the debate on ‘rural communities that took place in parliament on 07 January, flying the flag for fox hunting. He wheeled out another set of deeply unconvincing figures to try to persuade the house that the supposed fact that there were “only“ 44 convictions of fox hunters between 2003 and 2024 meant that hunts hadn’t been committing crimes. He said: “Based on those statistics, they should not ban anything, because the stats do not support the idea that there is widespread criminality in trail hunting. There is no evidence of that at all.” There is masses of evidence. Sabs and monitors have documented literally hundreds of examples of hunts flouting the law. Anyone who has been paying attention will know that the police are reluctant to make arrests in relation to wildlife crimes, and rarely is anyone arrested or brought before the courts. When prosecutions do happen, they often fail. A recent report by Wildlife and Countryside Link found that the police and courts did not take crimes against non-human animals seriously and didn’t put enough resources into them. To give just one example, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dropped a seemingly cast iron case against the Holderness Hunt last year. The Hunt had been caught red-handed, allowing its hounds to chase and kill a vixen. The footage from Hull Wildlife Monitors was clear as day, but the CPS dropped it claiming the evidence was insufficient. Protect the Wild’s Charlotte Smith wrote at the time: “the law protects hunters. It shields them behind loopholes. It fails wildlife, saboteurs, and monitors alike. This is the reality for those trying to uphold a failing law. Volunteers risk their safety, gather evidence, and confront the cruelty head-on. Yet, again and again, justice slips through the cracks” One thing’s for sure, the pro-hunt side can’t seem to get their story straight either. In a recent debate aired on BBC Five, Tim Bonner - CEO of the pro-hunt Countryside Alliance made the opposite argument to Anderson. Bonner argued that, because there have been some convictions under the current Hunting Act, it shows that the Act is fit for purpose and doesn’t need to be changed. Bonner and Anderson have at least one thing in common: they are both feeding the public with straw-man arguments. Numbers aren’t Anderson’s strong suit However, the figures that Anderson presented to parliament are also wrong. Protect the Wild has been monitoring the number of hunting-related convictions and we have recorded a total of 59 convictions covering 78 charges of illegal hunting under Section 1 of the Hunting Act. There has been a significant uptick in the number of successful prosecutions since 2022. On top of that, we are aware of a further eight cases of illegal hunting where defendants are currently awaiting trial. Rural people hate hunting too Anderson’s poll and Facebook post feeds into an age-old falsehood that the government’s plans to strengthen the ban are an attack on rural communities and that rural people overwhelmingly support hunting. To be frank, it’s the same old crap that the Countryside Alliance has been reeling out for more than two decades now. There’s virtually no difference between rural and urban opinions on fox hunting in the UK. A YouGov poll on 29 December 2025 found that 50% of rural Britons surveyed supported the government’s proposed ban, while 35% of rural people polled opposed it. That’s a pretty similar figure to the UK overall. YouGov found that 50% of the total number of UK respondents in the UK supported the government’s planned ban, while only 29% opposed it. Protect the Wild’s Rob Pownall slammed the pro-hunt side’s duplicity in this video, responding to a speech made at one of this year’s Boxing Day Hunts: Anderson used the 07 January debate to trot out another tired argument about hunts being a “cherished” part of the community and supporting rural economies too. But the YouGov stats showed that other rural people didn’t agree with him. Their poll found that more than half of rural people thought that hunting was not important socially or economically to rural communities. Protect the Wild commissioned a Find Out Now poll in 2025 which yielded even clearer results. It found that 60% of rural respondents and 72% of urban respondents would support a stronger ban on hunting, and nearly 50% of rural respondents believed hunting with hounds was not being conducted legally in their area. Rural people versus hunting A recent report by Protect the Wild entitled ‘Rural people versus hunting’ found that: “the “town vs. country divide” simply does not exist. Rural sentiment mirrors urban sentiment around 10%, a reflection of lived experience, rooted in direct experience of the harm hunts cause: hounds trespassing through gardens, scaring livestock, roads blocked, threats made, and property damaged, not ideology. Far from preserving tradition, hunting with hounds has become synonymous with fear, conflict, and disorder in rural life.” The report looked at reputable opinion polls conducted between 2004, when the Hunting Act came into place, and today. It found that: “Despite pro-hunt organisations, such as the Countryside Alliance, British Hound Sports Association,and previously the Hunting Office, and Masters of Foxhounds Association, frequently claiming that hunting enjoys rural backing, no credible public surveys in the last 20 years show a majority of rural residents supporting fox hunting.” 2004 (YouGov): 61% supported the Hunting Act ban; 30% opposed. 2005 (Ipsos MORI/BBC Countryfile): 47% supported the ban; 26% opposed; Scotland showed 52% support vs 21% opposed. 2008 (Animal Aid / Guardian): 70–72% wanted the ban to continue. 2009 (Ipsos MORI for IFAW & LACS): 75% supported keeping the ban; 72% of rural respondents agreed, with a minimal rural/urban difference. 2012 (Ipsos MORI): 76% opposed re-legalising fox hunting; 81% opposed deer hunting; 83% opposed hare coursing. 2015 (YouGov, 10-Year Anniversary): 51% supported, 33% opposed; little difference between urban (52%) and rural (49%). 2015 (Ipsos MORI for LACS): 83% wanted the ban upheld; rural 84%, urban 82%. 2016 (Ipsos MORI): 84% against legalising fox hunting; rural opposition 82%. 2017 (Survation): 64% opposed repeal; only 11% supported. Even among Conservatives, just 16% wanted hunting re-legalised. 2019 (YouGov for LACS): 79% supported closing “trail hunting” loopholes; 74% supported jail terms for illegal hunting. 2021–2023 (YouGov tracker): 70–80% opposed recreational hunting; no regional divide. 2024 (YouGov 20-Year Poll): 79% want the ban to remain; 12% favour repeal. 2024 (Find Out Now/Electoral Calculus for LACS): 76% support strengthening the law; 70% of rural voters agree; 58% would back pro-ban political candidates. 2024 (Protect the Wild/Survation): Only 18% believe trail hunting is genuine; strong majority say it’s a cover for illegal hunting and want stricter legislation. 2025 (Protect the Wild/Find out now): 60% of rural respondents and 72% of urban respondents would support a stronger ban on hunting and nearly 50% of rural respondents believed hunting with hounds was not being conducted legally in their area. Charlotte Smith who authored the report carried out 10 in-depth interviews with rural people who had all suffered due to the actions of hunts. The stories were bleak, recounting riders and hounds rampaging through gardens and, in one case, the killing of a cherished family pet. These respondents told a wholly different story to Anderson’s, one of chaos and of aggression, arrogance and a cold disregard for the lives of people in rural areas. As we head towards a strengthened ban on trail hunting, we need to be prepared to hear these same arguments again and again. But repetition doesn’t make the pro-hunt rhetoric true. Both rural and urban people overwhelmingly oppose hunting and support a strengthened ban. Use Protect the Wild’s automated tool to email your MP now and register your support for a proper ban. Take a look at our report on how difficult it really is to get a hunting conviction. Sign our petition calling for a proper ban on hunting, and check out our proposal for a workable ban on the hunting of mammals with hounds. Read Protect the Wild’s 2025 report, ‘The True Face of Hunting with Hounds’. Be part of a growing movement backing Protect the Wild Protect the Wild is independent by design. We don’t take money from corporations, industry bodies, or political interests. Everything we do - undercover investigations, hard-hitting animations, fearless journalism, reports, and campaigns — is powered by thousands of ordinary people giving a few pounds a month. If you believe British wildlife deserves defenders who won’t compromise, become a monthly supporter today. Become a Monthly Supporter A guest post by Tom Anderson Journalist for Protect the Wild Subscribe to Tom SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

FROM BUMBLEBEE CONSERVATION — ALL IN THE WILD NEED OUR HELP

view online Bumblebee Conservation Trust logo Side profile of bumblebee on purple flower with blurred background, dated January 2026 Hello 2026! Welcome to the first newsletter of 2026. January may feel quiet for bumblebees, but there's more happening than you think. We're back and buzzing to help you make a difference this year for the UK's bumblebees. Let's bee-gin! 🐝 Where do bumblebees go in winter? 🐝 Huge bumblebee looking for hibernation spot on earth and grass Most bumblebees don't make it through winter at all! As temperatures drop, the old colony dies back and only newly mated queens survive, tucking themselves away underground, in leaf litter or even compost heaps to hibernate. When spring arrives, those queens wake up to start brand-new colonies from scratch. Explore the bumblebee lifecycle 🐝 Membership offer ✨ Montage of bumblebee photo, free bumblebee toy and pack contents including leaflets Bee-lieve it or not, January is the perfect time to support bumblebees – and we’ve added a little extra thank you to make joining even sweeter! For a limited time only, when you sign up with a Family or Benefactor Membership, you’ll receive a FREE bumblebee soft toy worth £18 when you join* 🐝 When you become a member, you’re helping to create and restore wildflower meadows, research how climate change affects bumblebees, and support farmers to create bumblebee-friendly habitats. What’s not to love. Join today! (*While stocks last). Become a Benefactor or Family member 👉 Take action for bumblebees 📣 Placards raised with Houses of Parliament in background We have two new campaigning actions you can take right now to help protect bumblebees and their habitats. ✅ Sign the petition to ask the government to get peat out of gardens, once and for all. Extracting peat for use as compost destroys vital carbon-rich and nature-friendly habitats, releasing centuries of stored CO2 into the atmosphere. ✅ Add your name to a letter to Ed Miliband (Secretary of State for Energy and Net Zero) before the government makes damaging changes to habitat regulations, putting wildlife under threat. You will find links to these actions below. Together, we can give bumblebees a voice and make a difference. Add your voice 🫵 Fuel the fun! Fundraise for impact 🙌 Three people with hands in air on top of a mountain with the Pollin8 graphic in black and white Take on a Pollin8 challenge and raise money for bumblebees in 2026 in a way that works for you! Run, walk, host a picnic, hold a plant sale or get creative! Every challenge helps protect the UK's bumblebees and the places they need to thrive. It's a bee-rilliant way to do something you enjoy. Find out more 👇🏽 Start your challenge❤️ Bumblebee in the spotlight 🔎 Bumblebee flying in to land on red flower with sparkle graphics in two places The Buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) is one of the 'Big Eight' common and widespread bumblebees. Let's take a closer look. The Buff-tailed bumblebee Want to follow the Bumblebee Conservation Trust on social media? Click on the icons below to stay up-to-date. YouTube icon Did you know you can also follow the social media channels of our projects on X: @nikkigammans @BuzzingWales @BuzzingShrill @BuzzingScotland Bumblebee Conservation Trust. Registered Charity No: 1115634 / Scottish Charity No: SC042830. © 2026 Bumblebee Conservation Trust. All rights reserved. You are receiving this newsletter because you are already a member, subscribed via our website, an event or when becoming a volunteer. We hope you enjoy reading it! Registered address: International House, 109-111 Fulham Palace Road, London, W6 8JA; Correspondence address: Bumblebee Conservation Trust, Beta Centre, Stirling University Innovation Park, Stirling FK9 4NF Unsubscribe

FROM PROTECT THE WILD — WE CAN HELP THEM BY MAKING A REGULAR CONTRIBUTION

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more I need to be honest about Protect the Wild ROB POWNALL JAN 19 READ IN APP Protect the Wild is at a turning point. I started this organisation in 2015 as a 16-year-old with a Facebook page, a lot of anger about animal cruelty, and nothing else. No money. No grants. No wealthy backers. For years, I ran everything alongside school and university, funding our work by selling keyrings and car stickers from home and putting every penny back into campaigning. There were no staff, no infrastructure, and no safety net. Just persistence. Slowly, it grew. Investigations. Reports. Animations. Campaigns people said were too controversial. Today, Protect the Wild reaches millions of people every month. We have helped push hunting with hounds to the brink, exposed trail hunting, pressured landowners to ban hunts, and kept the issue alive when many wanted it to disappear. We have helped drive the badger cull to the edge of extinction, and we are preparing to take on the bird shooting industry through release of the largest undercover investigation ever undertaken in the UK. We have done all of this without corporate money, government grants, or watering down our language. Protect the Wild is powered by the people. Right now, 7,342 supporters give a small monthly donation to make this work possible. I am sharing that number because transparency matters, and because those people are the reason we can run undercover investigations, produce hard-hitting media, and employ a small but committed team. But I need to be honest. At the moment, I am juggling fundraising, communications, investigations, campaign strategy, and leadership. That approach got us this far, but it is not sustainable if we want to turn momentum into lasting victories for animals. And the next phase matters. While politicians backtrack and cruelty continues under the guise of tradition, too many organisations stay cautious or silent. Hunting with hounds still causes suffering. Birds are bred and killed for sport. Wildlife is persecuted with public money. Protect the Wild exists because that silence is unacceptable. This year is about building something durable and effective. About applying pressure that is relentless and impossible to ignore. Become a monthly supporter Our goal is simple. 10,000 monthly supporters. Not for the sake of a number, but because it changes what is possible. It means year-round undercover investigations, more powerful media, and the capacity to focus on winning rather than just surviving. This is not about big donations. If thousands of people give just £2 or £3 a month, it becomes real power. If you already support Protect the Wild monthly, thank you. You are the reason this organisation exists. If you do not, this is your invitation to step in and be part of what comes next. We are not here to soften language or play politics. We are here to call out cruelty wherever it hides and build the pressure needed to end it. Thank you for standing with us, Rob Pownall SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

SOMETHING CHEERFUL FROM MARINE CONSERVATION SOCIETY

Brighter days are coming View in browser A close up of a hermit crab standing on top of a peach-coloured sun starfish Credit: Dan Bolt Hi John, We're over halfway through January already, whew! How are you doing? How does a top-notch sealife sightings playlist sound to banish the winter blues? I've been craving some warm sunshine on my face and dreaming about all the incredible wildlife I'll hopefully be seeing by the coast this year. With brighter days (literally) ahead, I started researching what could start appearing on our shores very soon and it brought me quite a lot of joy, so I thought I'd share the goods with you by creating a playlist for your viewing pleasure. From basking sharks to rare leatherback turtles, UK waters are a treasure trove of marine life. I hope the videos bring a smile to your face. Take me to the sealife sightings playlist If you'd like some more inspiration about UK waters, grab a cuppa and check out our 24 reasons why UK waters are important blog. I'll be in touch again soon, but in the meantime, I'll leave you with the fact that each day for the rest of January is getting lighter by approximately 2 minutes per day - yippee! Amy Digital Channels Manager Marine Conservation Society Two seals swimming underwater. Text overlaid reads: The ocean captures more carbon than trees. But only a healthy ocean can combat the climate crisis. Let's restore ocean health together - donate today Donate Our shop Contact us Unsubscribe The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) is the UK charity dedicated to protecting our seas, shores and wildlife. Marine Conservation Society | Company Limited by Guarantee (England and Wales) No. 2550966 Registered Charity No. England and Wales No. 1004005 | Scotland No. SC037480 VAT No. 321 4912 32 Registered Office: Overross House, Ross Park, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, HR9 7US. Scottish Office: CBC House, 24 Canning Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8EG.

FROM PROTECT THE WILD — HOUNDS OUT OF CONTROL IN NEWRY

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more SHAMEFUL! Newry Hunt kill cat in private garden Rodney's body hidden by hunt after hounds riot through garden TOM ANDERSON JAN 19 ∙ GUEST POST READ IN APP On 30 December Chloe, a dog groomer from Rathfriland, County Down, found the lifeless body of her companion animal, Rodney the cat, behind a wall close to her house. When she watched footage from a camera installed at her home, she saw what had happened: the Newry Hunt’s out-of-control hounds had entered Chloe’s property and torn Rodney apart. Instead of taking responsibility and apologising, members of the hunt callously tried to cover it up by throwing his body over the wall. Take a look at this damning footage, which Chloe shared on Facebook: ‘Lack of transparency and responsibility’ Chloe was particularly disgusted that the hunt hadn’t come clean and told her what had happened. Instead, they tried to cover their tracks. She wrote: “The failure to report the killing and the disposal of my cat’s body demonstrates a complete lack of transparency and responsibility. I consider this handling of the situation to be unacceptable and deeply distressing.” She points out that she has had no face-to-face apology from the hunt. Neither had she received any reassurance that anything would be done about it, or that changes would be made by the Hunt to prevent the same thing from happening again to someone else. Chloe said she was “heartbroken” and felt like she had been treated with total disregard. She continued: “The loss alone is heartbreaking, but the actions that followed have made this even more painful. No one should have to discover such a thing without explanation, and no family should be treated with such disregard on their own property.” ‘Total disregard for animals’ lives’ Unfortunately, this is by no means an isolated incident. Killings of companion animals by hunts are an all too common occurrence. Protect the Wild’s founder Rob Pownall knows this all too well: “It is is utterly sickening. A companion animal has been killed, their body discarded and apparently hidden, as though their life meant nothing. My heart goes out to the cat’s guardian, who is now dealing with an unimaginable loss. We have seen this mentality before with the Western Hunt in England and now again in Northern Ireland. It speaks to a culture of cruelty, secrecy and total disregard for animals’ lives. This is not an isolated incident. It is yet another reminder of the depravity that exists within hunting, and why these activities cannot be trusted to operate around animals, people or communities.” ‘Mini’s Law’ Mini the cat was killed after being savaged by hunting hounds in 2021 What Rob was referring to is the shockingly similar case of Mini the cat, who was chased and killed by hounds from the Western Hunt outside her home in west Cornwall in March 2021. The Hunt tried to hide the evidence of what happened to Mini too. But Mini’s guardian, Carly, found out the truth. She pressured Westminster to enact Mini’s law, which sought to legislate against any activity involving hunting hounds taking place in a residential area or in any other public place. The UK Government petition on Mini’s law started an important conversation and led to a debate in Westminster in 2022. While the debate didn’t result in immediate legislative change, it fed into the public discourse about the need for a ban on so-called ‘trail hunting’. On top of what happened to Rodney and Mini, hounds from the East Sussex and Romney Marsh Hunt tore through a cat sanctuary in Hastings, England in 2018. The incident scattered dozens of cats, and more than 20 of them were never found. Not just cats This year, Protect the Wild has released a report documenting the killing, disappearance or psychological traumatisation of companion animals and sanctuary animals after incidents involving hunts. It’s not just cats who have been harmed: it’s also goats, rheas, dogs, horses, alpacas and even camels. Protect the Wild’s Charlotte Smith, who authored the report, wrote: “hunting hounds have repeatedly caused widespread harm to domestic and sanctuary animals across England and Wales. This damage is not symbolic or rare, it is deeply personal, often violent, and almost always traumatic for the rural residents affected.” These incidents are not the fault of the hounds. This is on the hunts that train their dogs to kill and then lead their packs through residential areas with little regard for the communities they disrupt or the animals whose lives are ripped away from them. The Newry Hunt owes Chloe an apology for what happened. More than that, we need to stop this cruel and dangerous bloodsport once and for all. Northern Ireland is the only place in the UK where hunting mammals with hounds is still legal. An attempt to legislate against hunting through a private members’ bill was defeated in the Northern Ireland Assembly in December 2021. Chloe, Rodney’s guardian, shared a petition by the League Against Cruel Sports (LACS) calling on Stormont to ban hunting with dogs. If you are a resident of Northern Ireland you can sign the petition here. Monitors and hunt sabs are on the frontline week after week, protecting both our wildlife and companion animals too. Consider joining your local group or making a donation to support their work, and check out NI Hunt Saboteurs. Read Protect the Wild’s 2025 report, ‘The True Face of Hunting with Hounds’ and take a look at our Hunt Havoc website. Support Protect the Wild with a small monthly donation We only ask for a few pounds a month because our strength isn’t big donors or hidden backers. It’s thousands of ordinary people chipping in small amounts. Together, that becomes unstoppable. Your support powers everything we do to defend British wildlife: undercover investigations, hard-hitting animations, fearless journalism, detailed reports, equipment and mental health support for activists, protests, and pressure campaigns that hold the powerful to account. Our goal is 200 new monthly supporters. We’re currently at 157 Support Protect the Wild A guest post by Tom Anderson Journalist for Protect the Wild Subscribe to Tom SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

THE HUNT SABOTEURS CONTINUE WITH HOW TO END HUNTING

View this email in your browser Hi, Supporter Witness The End Of Hunting: Aligning Hunting Act Penalties With The Animal Welfare Act 2006 The Hunt Saboteurs Association has produced a booklet titled ‘Witness The End Of Hunting’ which outlines our plans to stop hunters in their tracks or – at least – get them into court with a high chance of prosecution. Fox hunter helping the police with their enquiries. In this sixth and final article, the HSA looks at our proposal to align Hunting Act offences with those of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. At present the penalties for breaching the Hunting Act are a Level 5 fine which has no limits on the amount. However, the reality is this equates to under a £1000 fine, even for serial offenders. We suggest that the Act should be aligned with the Animal Welfare Act 2006 as follows: a) On conviction or indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years, or to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale. b) The owner of an animal in relation to which the offence was committed, the court by or before which he is convicted may, instead of or in addition to dealing with him in any other way, make an order depriving him of ownership of the animal and for its disposal. c) Any hunting article that was used in the commission of the offence or in the possession of the defendant when arrested to be confiscated. A hunting article is defined in section 9(3) as any article designed or adapted for use in connection with hunting a wild mammal and any vehicle used in the commission of the offence for example, the van or trailer (does not have to be a motor vehicle) used to bring the dogs to the start of the hunt. d) A recordable offence under ‘The National Police Records (Recordable Offences) Regulations 2000’. e) Act to recognise that a hunting organisation is a corporate body and all staff present on day of the offence, directors of the organisation. Police attend a meet of the Albany & West Lodge Bassets. At present, the Act does include a specific power of forfeiture in section 9 of the Act. The following can be forfeited when a person is convicted of any offence under the Act: Any dog (but note, not horses) that was used in the commission of an offence under Part 1 of the Act or in the possession of defendant when arrested. Any hunting article that was used in the commission of the offence or in the possession of defendant when arrested. A hunting article is defined in section 9(3) as any article designed or adapted for use in connection with hunting a wild mammal and any vehicle used in the commission of the offence for example the van or trailer (does not have to be a motor vehicle) used to bring the dogs to the start of the hunt. This is regularly used against hare coursers, and we would like to see the courts use this by default against Hunting Act offenders, but this would assume that with an increase in penalties that the courts would take any breach in a more serious light. The police are also asking that the Act is made a ‘recordable offence’. A recordable offence is any offence in England and Wales where the police must keep records of convictions and offenders on the Police National Computer. That is a decision of the secretary of state. In the UK, only a limited number of wildlife crimes are currently recordable under Home Office counting rules. Most wildlife crimes in England and Wales are recorded as 'miscellaneous' offences, rendering them invisible in official police records and preventing accurate assessment of the problem. There is clearly much work to do to make the courts take on the seriousness of wildlife crime which the public is demanding. 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

JANUARY UPDATE FROM CORNWALL WILDLIFE TRUST. IT’S GOOD READING

View this email in your browser JANUARY NEWS Happy new year! January has wasted no time reminding us of nature’s power, with wild weather rolling across Cornwall’s coast and countryside. While short days and stormy skies invite us to slow down, remember to take time to pull on a coat, head outdoors, and let nature shake off any hint of the January blues. NATURE NEWS Blown away by Storm Goretti We’ve had lots of messages asking how much impact Storm Goretti had on our reserves, and we’re pleased to say we got away quite lightly compared with some sites in Cornwall. Our teams moved quickly to clear paths and make everything safe. Though we lost a roof at Creney Farm, suffered some gate damage at Devichoys, and lost a number of trees, all our livestock were safe and sound. Our team have done a brilliant job with the clean-up this week, but this has taken them away from their usual conservation work, and specialist work required means costs are increasing. We’re more grateful than ever for your support which makes all of this work possible, so thank you. CALENDARS STILL AVAILABLE There’s just a few copies left of the Wild Cornwall 2026 charity calendar, now available at half price. Filled with beautiful images celebrating Cornwall’s wild places and wildlife, every purchase helps support our work - a small way to keep nature close all year round. Shop 2026 Calendar Sale EVENTS Seeding for Change Seagrass Talks Thu 29 Jan | 7pm - 8.30pm | Par Tue 10 Feb | 7pm - 8.30pm | Falmouth Join us for talks all about seagrass in your local area. Hear from local volunteers, researchers, and the Cornwall Wildlife Trust team. Shoresearch Training Wed 4 Feb | 7pm - 9pm | Online Get a head start and learn how to conduct an intertidal survey for Cornwall Wildlife Trust before attending one of our practical training sessions (check our events page for more dates). See all events JANUARY SPOTTERS GUIDE With the summer crowds gone, January is a wonderful time to connect with Cornwall’s quieter wild places. The colder months bring rich rewards for birdwatchers, with estuaries, wetlands and coastlines alive with activity. Large flocks of waders gather to feed on nutrient-rich mud, while lapwings reach their peak, filling winter skies with their tumbling flight and unmistakable “peewit” calls. Winter also boosts your chances of spotting birds of prey, as Cornwall’s mild climate attracts migrants from across the UK and Europe. Hen harriers, short-eared owls and merlins can all be seen hunting over open landscapes, while rocky shores host turnstones and purple sandpipers busily foraging along the tideline. It’s not just birds to look out for this month. Frogspawn can begin to appear in ponds during mild spells, marking the quiet start of a new life cycle, while foxes become more visible and vocal as breeding season peaks. Out at sea, humpback whales continue their welcome return to Cornish waters. See the full guide OPPOSE THE FINGLETON REVIEW The Fingleton Review, a new policy report commissioned by the UK Government, recommends weakening some nature protections, claiming they create costs for developers. This doesn’t just affect wildlife. Natural spaces near you, or special places you love, could be damaged or lost. Say NO to this now - before it’s too late. We’re writing to Ed Milliband to urge him to reject three key recommendations which put nature at risk. A murmaration against a dusky sky with copy over the top written to detail more about the fingleton review Email Ed Milliband JOIN THE OPEN GARDENS TEAM It’s Open Gardens 15th anniversary year, and we need your help. We’re looking for more people to join our friendly team of volunteers in a variety of roles, from logistics to event support, helping nature thrive in Cornwall. Find out more about our volunteer roles Facebook icon Instagram icon LinkedIn icon YouTube icon Images: Kingfisher (header image) - Martin Yelland Effects of Storm Goretti at Devichoys - Nick Marriott Short-eared owl - Adrian Langdon Fox - Terry Dunstan © 2026 Cornwall Wildlife Trust. All rights reserved. Registered charity number 214929. Privacy Policy and T&Cs Our mailing address is: Cornwall Wildlife Trust Five Acres, Allet, Truro, Cornwall, TR4 9DJ Want to change how you receive these emails? You can unsubscribe from this list.