THE ‘EYE IN THE WILD’ FROM PROTECT THE WILD—SEE WHAT BEAVERS CAN DO

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Eye on the Wild - Your weekly roundup of British wildlife news Eye on the Wild #5 ELIZA EGRET JUN 26 READ IN APP Welcome to the fifth edition of Eye on the Wild, our new weekly roundup designed to keep you up to date with the latest stories concerning British wildlife. Each week, we’ll share important news, updates and stories from across the UK, including issues, species, and campaigns that may not always make the headlines. We’ll also highlight ways you can help and take action for wildlife. If you have a story you think we should cover, email us at contact@protectthewild.org.uk For the first time in over a century, a pine marten has been spotted in Sussex Homeowner Andrew spotted the animal in his garden in Worthing while he was having his morning coffee. He said that the pine marten was on the path, enjoying the sunshine. Pine martens remain critically endangered in England and Wales. Hunting and woodland destruction drove the species to the brink of extinction during the 19th century. They have been reintroduced across England and Wales, including Dartmoor, Exmoor, Cumbria, the Forest of Dean and Mid Wales. The South East Pine Marten Restoration Project has also been planning a reintroduction of the species in the southeast. The collaboration between Kent Wildlife Trust, Wildwood Trust, Sussex Wildlife Trust, Ashdown Forest and Forestry England is still in its early stages, determining whether the habitat is suitable, as well as assessing public and stakeholder support for the project. The Worthing pine marten beat the project to it! Nature’s engineers are transforming the North York Moors! Cropton Forest's downstream communities had been facing repeated flooding over a 20-year period. In 2007 one flood caused roughly £7 million in damage to homes and businesses. So in 2019 two beavers were released into a secure enclosure in Cropton Forest to maintain existing dams and create their own. The beavers were monitored over a five-year period. They built six dams, and 11 kits were born. And now researchers have confirmed they have been preventing floods and increasing wildlife diversity. The University of Leeds’ Professor Mark Smith said: “The site was transformed by the beavers in ways we never imagined.” Smith continued: “We saw peak flow reductions, increased drought tolerance and increases in plant diversity and in vertebrates, such as mammals, amphibians and [invertebrates such as] dragonflies.” Beavers were once hunted to extinction in the UK for their fur and scent glands, but there have been a number of beaver reintroduction projects. London’s Ealing beavers have also made headlines in recent days. They have prevented flooding in an area that has suffered since the 1970s. Speaking about the UK’s beaver projects, The Wildlife Trusts states: “This isn’t just about the reintroduction of a species - it’s about the reintroduction of an entire ecosystem that’s been lost.” Do you want to know where beavers have been reintroduced in the UK? This interactive map brings together a list of reintroduction projects by the Beaver Trust and other organisations. More than 2,500 people have given their opinions on how we can urgently save the UK’s declining insects The Big Insect Rescue Survey was conducted by Buglife, Butterfly Conservation and Bumblebee Conservation Trust. Many respondents want to see the government setting stronger rules to reduce pesticide use. They want it to restore clean rivers, streams, lakes and ponds, and to protect them from pollution. There was strong support for helping farmers shift to more nature-friendly methods. Respondents also wanted protected habitats to be created and connected, allowing species to move. People also think that housing developments should be designed with nature in mind. Insects are absolutely essential for life. They pollinate crops, maintain soils, break down dead matter, and form a critical part of the food chain for countless species. The Bristol Declaration, launched in September 2025 and signed by leading wildlife organisations, states that reversing insect decline is essential, not optional. The organisations’ Big Insect Rescue Plan is calling on governments, businesses, land managers, and the public to take immediate action to protect insects. UK Swift Awareness Week begins on Saturday 27 June! Swift Awareness Week is back, with more than 100 events planned across the UK, organised by local groups across the Swifts Local Network and the RSPB. Swifts usually arrive in the UK from early May, after migrating 7,000 miles (11,000km) from sub-Saharan Africa. Numbers have declined by over 60% since the 1980s, and they’re now on the UK’s Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern. A major cause of this decline is the destruction and blocking of nesting sites. Just weeks ago, a large Swift colony was destroyed when developers tore down a building during nesting season. Between 17 and 22 active nests were thought to be lost during the destruction of Regent House in Dorking, Surrey. And so Swift Awareness Week is more vital than ever. Join walks, talks and events in your area. You can view a list of events on this Google Doc, or on RSPB. SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing