As of Monday 6th April 2008 five more species gained protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981. Watervoles, angel sharks, Roman snail, short-snouted seahorse and spiny seahorse are all now protected from being killed, injured or taken from the wild. It also became an offence to possess or sell these creatures. Damaging, obstructing or disturbing their place of shelter either intentionally or recklessly will also result in action being taken.
Angel Sharks (Squatina squatina): Angel sharks are flattened ray-like sharks that were formerly common around British waters. They have declined rapidly during the last fifty years and are now critically endangered; in 2006 they were declared extinct in the North Sea. Their decline is the result of a combination of fishing and slow growth rate. Angel sharks grow slowly and females do not reach maturity until they are 126-167 cm. This combined with the fact that angel sharks are very vulnerable to being caught as by-catch severely limits the numbers that reach breeding age.
Roman Snail (Helix pomatia): This snail is the UK’s largest and can be found in southern to central England. It was thought to have been introduced to Britain by the Romans (hence the name) because it is edible. Due to its position as a favoured delicacy the wild population has dwindled through over exploitation and is now rare throughout Europe.
© Michelle Legg - Short snouted sea horse
Short-Snouted Seahorses (Hippocampus hippocampus): These small marine creatures can be found in the British Isles along the south coast of England but they are found in more substantial numbers around the Channel Islands and Ireland. They are also found around the coasts of the East Atlantic and also the Mediterranean. There is so little known about them that is not clear exactly how endangered they are. Although it has been known for the last 18 months that these seahorses have been breeding in the Thames, until they were made a protected species it was a closely guarded secret. The fact that they have now been found in the Thames on several occasions is testament to how much cleaner the river has become in recent years. They are threatened by fishing and pollution.
Spiny Seahorses (Hippocampus guttulatus): Also known as long-snouted seahorses, they are found in the eastern Atlantic in shallow waters alongside algae and eel grass and also in littoral lagoons. As with short-snouted seahorses very little is known about them so it is hard to tell exactly how endangered they are. They are threatened by boats, anchors and pollution.
© Laurie Campbell - Watervole
Water Voles (Arvicola terrestris): Water voles have declined dramatically, by over 90%, in the last 60 years due to a combination of factors. It is claimed that the American mink has contributed enormously to their sharp decline by predation. Although numbers of mink are dropping, due to Otter numbers increasing and out competing the mink for food and territory, there are still estimated to be upwards of 40,000 in Britain. Degradation of the water voles habitat, pollution, dredging and the clearing of bank-side vegetation also impacts on their numbers as they create their homes along the banks of slow flowing watercourses, ditches and ponds. Poisoning and destruction of their homes also has a part to play, they are the largest member of the vole family and as such they are often confused with the brown rat.