Latest news with #WWT


The Guardian
2 days ago
- 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
2 days ago
- 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.


BBC News
19-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Common crane chick hatches at wetland centre in UK
The first common crane chick in three years recently hatched at the WWT Washington Wetland Centre near Sunderland. Common cranes were once extinct in the UK but have been making a comeback. This chick is the second chick from the same parent birds at the Wetland centre after they were moved there as part of the Great Cane Project. The chick's parents were hatched in the Netherlands and then moved across to the 2008, these parent cranes were moved to Sunderland and since then have been happily living in the wetlands. They first had a chick together in 2022 when they hatched a young female, and now she has a family is now spending some time off-show at the wetland centre to bond in a quiet, protected environment. What is a common crane? Common cranes are the UK's tallest birds, standing at around 4 foot (1.2 metres) tall. Cranes are mainly grey and have long legs, a long neck and drooping, curved tail eat seeds, roots, insects, snails and once extinct in the UK, this stunning bird can now be found across England, Scotland and Wales.
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
More Races Need Pyrotechnics
IndyCar put on a heck of a show on Sunday night under the lights at World Wide Technology Raceway just a few miles from the St. Louis Arch National Park, and it all started with a massive bombastic pyrotechnics display as the cars drove down the back straight under formation heading to green flag to start the race. With dozens of cannons of fire aiming straight up into the late evening sky, loaded down with flammables for a display that would easily pass for a strafing in a Hollywood production of a war film, the WWT team was really prepared for a show, and the 325-mile race absolutely delivered. While WWT Raceway has traditionally set off a pyro display at the start of its IndyCar races, this one was above and beyond anything we've ever seen. The massive explosion scared the crap out of Will Power's wife Liz, for example, and front-row starter Scott McLaughlin took to Twitter after the race ended to say "Brother that head through the helmet was intense." It was definitely enough to make me jump backward from the television screen watching it happen live. Yeah, it's wasteful and bad for the local environment, and probably could have killed an entire flock of birds, but it looks cool and makes the fans excited for the race to come, and I think that's all the more reason to do this more often. I want to see big balls of flame at every race I go to. This is truly an IndyCar kind of thing, F1 could never. Read more: These Are The Cars You Love Getting As Ubers And Lyfts There was more to this race than just a few dozen giant balls of flame, though, because the racing across the so-called Bommarito Automotive Group 500 was truly stellar and at times even more explosive. Polesitter Will Power hit the wall with a cut tire early on. Onetime race leader Josef Newgarden drove full-speed into the side of Jacob Abel's spun car, causing one of the worst-looking crashes I've seen in quite a few years, with thankfully both drivers walking away unscathed from a crash that would likely have been career-ending 15 years ago. In the end it was another victory for Kyle Kirkwood, holding off Pato O'Ward for his third win from the last six races, and his first win on an oval. Despite the strong field of drivers and fighting at the front, only Kirkwood and series points leader Alex Palou have won races this season. Anyway, I, uh, really like fire. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.


BBC News
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Festival of Nature in Bristol involves Millennium Square wetland
Organisers of what they say is the first ever pop-up wetland to be built in a UK city centre has said it is "like a mini oasis".A large section of Millennium Square in Bristol has been transformed into an immersive wetland experience ahead of the Festival of Nature this popup features reeds, wildlife sounds and sculptures of warblers, water voles and kingfishers."We want to widen people's awareness of wetlands and the beauty of them and their importance," said principal designer Jez Clarke. About 200 years ago, the areas around Millennium Square like Canons Marsh and Queen Square lay on marshland, according to the charity for wetlands and wildlife (WWT).But wetlands are vanishing at a crucial pace, said the charity, with 75%of inland wetlands lost in the last 300 years."They're a crucial eco-system", Mr Clarke added. "They're just incredibly bio-diverse and hugely important for sustainability". Mr Clarke said he hoped the popup will help to draw visitor attraction to wetland centres like Slimbridge in Gloucestershire."We're focusing on indigenous species to Slimbridge whether that be birds, frogs, butterflies or dragonflies", added Mr Clarke."The idea is once you're in here, in the festival, it is like a little mini oasis"."The ultimate aim is that people suddenly feel that they are just down the road at Slimbridge".The Festival of Nature, which runs from 7 to 15 June, is celebrating the theme of water this year.