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| Rare mussels almost 'wiped out' | Rare mussels almost 'wiped out' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| By Matt Bardo Reporter, BBC Nature | By Matt Bardo Reporter, BBC Nature |
| The largest population in English waters of an endangered species of mollusc has almost been destroyed. | The largest population in English waters of an endangered species of mollusc has almost been destroyed. |
| Insect charity Buglife has called for an inquiry after the death of up to 90% of the freshwater pearl mussels at the Ennerdale Water in Cumbria. | |
| It is thought that water levels in the outflow of the lake fell, causing the temperature to go up and oxygen levels to go down. | |
| "This is devastating news," said Buglife chief executive Matt Shardlow. | "This is devastating news," said Buglife chief executive Matt Shardlow. |
| About 80,000 freshwater mussels were lost in this single instance, out of an estimated total population in England and Scotland of about 12m, according to Buglife. | About 80,000 freshwater mussels were lost in this single instance, out of an estimated total population in England and Scotland of about 12m, according to Buglife. |
| Mr Shardlow compared the loss to wiping out a medium-sized city in the UK, in human terms. | Mr Shardlow compared the loss to wiping out a medium-sized city in the UK, in human terms. |
| The species is protected under UK and international legislation. | The species is protected under UK and international legislation. |
| "The UK supports a large proportion of the world population for this species and we have an international responsibility to protect these animals," said Matt Shardlow. | "The UK supports a large proportion of the world population for this species and we have an international responsibility to protect these animals," said Matt Shardlow. |
| The freshwater pearl mussel recently joined giant pandas and Javan rhinos in a list of the world's 365 "most endangered species", assembled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) last year. | The freshwater pearl mussel recently joined giant pandas and Javan rhinos in a list of the world's 365 "most endangered species", assembled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) last year. |
| The species is thought to be one of the longest-living invertebrates in existence ,with individuals surviving for up to 150 years. | The species is thought to be one of the longest-living invertebrates in existence ,with individuals surviving for up to 150 years. |
| "The bloated corpses of animals born when Charles Darwin was alive have been floating out of their beds and (are) being swept into the Irish Sea," said Matt Shardlow. | "The bloated corpses of animals born when Charles Darwin was alive have been floating out of their beds and (are) being swept into the Irish Sea," said Matt Shardlow. |
| The mussels take 10-12 years to reach sexual maturity, meaning that it takes time to build up numbers. | The mussels take 10-12 years to reach sexual maturity, meaning that it takes time to build up numbers. |
| "If you get to the point where the river is just uninhabitable, you cause 150 years' worth of damage, and that's what's happened in this instance," said Matt Shardlow. | "If you get to the point where the river is just uninhabitable, you cause 150 years' worth of damage, and that's what's happened in this instance," said Matt Shardlow. |
| Matt Shardlow said the pearl mussel had been in "relatively steep decline", in recent years, partly because of poaching and illegal pearl fishing. | Matt Shardlow said the pearl mussel had been in "relatively steep decline", in recent years, partly because of poaching and illegal pearl fishing. |
| But he said it was exacerbated by the mussel's complicated life cycle. | But he said it was exacerbated by the mussel's complicated life cycle. |
| "The larvae come out and they attach to the gills of salmon and trout and live there for a while," said Matt Shardlow. | "The larvae come out and they attach to the gills of salmon and trout and live there for a while," said Matt Shardlow. |
| "They then drop off and they live in gravel in the riverbed and then gradually grow into the big mussels that one recognises as pearl mussels." | "They then drop off and they live in gravel in the riverbed and then gradually grow into the big mussels that one recognises as pearl mussels." |
| It means that changes to fish populations or silt and soil being washed into the river system have negative effects on the species. | It means that changes to fish populations or silt and soil being washed into the river system have negative effects on the species. |
| Pollutants from agriculture have also affected the species. | Pollutants from agriculture have also affected the species. |
| "On top of that they've got issues to do with water flow and oxygen availability, which is obviously the problem that they've had here," said Matt Shardlow. | "On top of that they've got issues to do with water flow and oxygen availability, which is obviously the problem that they've had here," said Matt Shardlow. |
| "We must understand the cause of this disaster so that it never happens again," he said. | "We must understand the cause of this disaster so that it never happens again," he said. |