Latest news with #WWT
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Wildlife centre and school shut due to lack of water
A wildlife centre and a school have closed after a burst water pipe left them without a water supply. Severn Trent said a pipe had burst on the A38 in Dursley, Gloucestershire, on Tuesday afternoon, but had proved "a lot more complex than first anticipated" to fix. Both Slimbridge Primary School and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) near Slimbridge apologised for their closures. The water supply company said it would provide a further update at 10:00 BST. "Apologies for any convenience caused and thank you for your patience," a Severn Trent spokesperson added. More news stories for Gloucestershire Listen to the latest news for Gloucestershire Slimbridge Primary School's head teacher Mrs Hillman said: "The school currently has no running water, which impacts our ability to maintain essential health and safety standards for our children and staff." WWT Slimbridge said it hoped to be back open as soon as possible. Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Slimbridge Primary School WWT Slimbridge
BBC News
16-07-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Slimbridge and school closed due to burst water pipe on A38
A wildlife centre and a school have closed after a burst water pipe left them without a water Trent said a pipe had burst on the A38 in Dursley, Gloucestershire, on Tuesday afternoon, but had proved "a lot more complex than first anticipated" to Slimbridge Primary School and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) near Slimbridge apologised for their water supply company said it would provide a further update at 10:00 BST. "Apologies for any convenience caused and thank you for your patience," a Severn Trent spokesperson added. Slimbridge Primary School's head teacher Mrs Hillman said: "The school currently has no running water, which impacts our ability to maintain essential health and safety standards for our children and staff."WWT Slimbridge said it hoped to be back open as soon as possible.
BBC News
14-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Washington Wetland Centre's first crane chick in three years dies
A common crane chick that was the first to have hatched at a nature reserve for three years has died, bosses have bird was just the second to hatch to its parents, which have been at WWT Washington Wetland Centre near Sunderland since are working to identify a possible cause of death, a WWT spokeswoman adult pair were originally hatched in the Netherlands and moved to Washington in the early stages of the Great Crane Project, which has seen the bird successfully integrated to the UK. The chick was born in May and the family had been off-show to allow them to bond in a quiet and protected environment, the WWT in a social media update, the organisation said: "We're very sad to let you know that, despite excellent and expert care from our collection team and vets, the crane chick has passed away. "We don't know the reason but we'll be working with our vets to understand if there's a cause which can be identified in the coming weeks."Thanks, as ever, for the care and support you show our animals and team, especially at times like this." It is not yet known whether the chick was male or female, with the WWT saying testing was still to be carried parents are 18 years old and bred for the very first time in 2022 when they successfully hatched a young had said the second chick arrived after months of flirting, nest building and prospecting by the adult the wild, common cranes form monogamous pairs for life, breeding from around four to five years old. Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
The Guardian
10-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Lead ammunition to be banned for hunting and shooting in England, Scotland and Wales
Shotgun pellets and bullets that contain lead are to be banned for almost all uses, ministers have said, in a long-awaited announcement welcomed by wildlife groups. The restrictions will be phased in over three years from 2026, rather than the five set out in an official report last year, prompting some shooting organisations to say replacement ammunition may not be fully available in time. The change to the law, announced by the environment minister Emma Hardy, will outlaw shotgun pellets containing more than 1% lead, and bullets that have more than 3%. Ammunition using lead has long been identified as a significant pollutant and a particular risk to waterbirds. The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) estimates that about 100,000 waterbirds in the UK die every year from lead poisoning. The ban is 'a huge day for wildlife, particularly the migratory waterbirds who call our wetlands their home', said the WWT. Campaigners say birds often eat discarded lead pellets, confusing them for seeds or grit. A 2022 report found 99.5% of pheasants killed using shotgun pellets contained lead, showing that previous efforts to persuade shooters to voluntarily use different ammunition types had achieved little. The ban, which will apply in England, Scotland and Wales, follows recommendations in December last year by the Health and Safety Executive, which said lead ammunition should be phased out over five years. The HSE proposals followed a public consultation. The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) said it backed the overall change, but disagreed with the recommended timetable being shortened by two years. The three-year transition was happening on the assumption that the ammunition was readily available, Terry Behan from the BASC said. 'That is not the case for commercial and supply reasons beyond our sector's control. We urge government to adhere to a five-year timescale proposed by the Health and Safety Executive.' Tim Bonner, the chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, said his organisation also backed the wider change, while saying the shorter transition period would be 'challenging for ammunition manufacturers'. He said: 'This is an important step for the future of shooting, which will benefit the countryside and rural economy. The alliance has long advocated a move away from lead ammunition, which is necessary and beneficial.' Hardy said: 'Britain is a proud nation of nature lovers, but our rivers are heavily polluted, and majestic birds are declining at an alarming rate. This new ban on lead in ammunition for most uses will help reverse this – rejuvenating pride in our countryside by protecting precious birdlife and cleaning up rivers. 'Non-lead alternatives are readily available, and we'll continue to work closely with the shooting sector throughout this transition.' James Robinson, the head of birdlife charity the RSPB, said: 'Long known to be a poison, we have campaigned for decades to have lead ammunition removed from use. This move, whilst long overdue and stopping short of a full ban, will mean that Britain will become a safer place for millions of birds and other wildlife.' There is an exemption for the outdoor shooting of permitted birds and animals using small-calibre bullets, because of a lack of suitable non-lead alternatives. Also exempt are airguns, and ammunition used by elite athletes, the military, police and in outdoor target shooting ranges with risk management measures.
The Guardian
10-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Lead ammunition to be banned for hunting and shooting in England, Scotland and Wales
Shotgun pellets and bullets that contain lead are to be banned for almost all uses, ministers have said, in a long-awaited announcement welcomed by wildlife groups. The restrictions will be phased in over three years from 2026, rather than the five set out in an official report last year, prompting some shooting organisations to say replacement ammunition may not be fully available in time. The change to the law, announced by the environment minister Emma Hardy, will outlaw shotgun pellets containing more than 1% lead, and bullets that have more than 3%. Ammunition using lead has long been identified as a significant pollutant and a particular risk to waterbirds. The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) estimates that about 100,000 waterbirds in the UK die every year from lead poisoning. The ban is 'a huge day for wildlife, particularly the migratory waterbirds who call our wetlands their home', said the WWT. Campaigners say birds often eat discarded lead pellets, confusing them for seeds or grit. A 2022 report found 99.5% of pheasants killed using shotgun pellets contained lead, showing that previous efforts to persuade shooters to voluntarily use different ammunition types had achieved little. The ban, which will apply in England, Scotland and Wales, follows recommendations in December last year by the Health and Safety Executive, which said lead ammunition should be phased out over five years. The HSE proposals followed a public consultation. The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) said it backed the overall change, but disagreed with the recommended timetable being shortened by two years. The three-year transition was happening on the assumption that the ammunition was readily available, Terry Behan from the BASC said. 'That is not the case for commercial and supply reasons beyond our sector's control. We urge government to adhere to a five-year timescale proposed by the Health and Safety Executive.' Tim Bonner, the chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, said his organisation also backed the wider change, while saying the shorter transition period would be 'challenging for ammunition manufacturers'. He said: 'This is an important step for the future of shooting, which will benefit the countryside and rural economy. The alliance has long advocated a move away from lead ammunition, which is necessary and beneficial.' Hardy said: 'Britain is a proud nation of nature lovers, but our rivers are heavily polluted, and majestic birds are declining at an alarming rate. This new ban on lead in ammunition for most uses will help reverse this – rejuvenating pride in our countryside by protecting precious birdlife and cleaning up rivers. 'Non-lead alternatives are readily available, and we'll continue to work closely with the shooting sector throughout this transition.' James Robinson, the head of birdlife charity the RSPB, said: 'Long known to be a poison, we have campaigned for decades to have lead ammunition removed from use. This move, whilst long overdue and stopping short of a full ban, will mean that Britain will become a safer place for millions of birds and other wildlife.' There is an exemption for the outdoor shooting of permitted birds and animals using small-calibre bullets, because of a lack of suitable non-lead alternatives. Also exempt are airguns, and ammunition used by elite athletes, the military, police and in outdoor target shooting ranges with risk management measures.
