Brit species in rapid decline, 1 in 10 at risk of extinction

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http://www.independent.co.uk/environmen ... 26604.html

British species in rapid decline with one in 10 at risk of extinction

Almost two thirds of British species have declined in the past 50 years and one in 10 faces the risk of extinction from our shores, according to an extensive new report into the state of Britain's nature.

The report, one of the most in-depth health checks on Britain's wildlife in recent years, brought together 25 wildlife organisations large and small, from the RSPB and The Wildlife Trusts to the British Lichen Society and the Bat Conservation Trust.

Its findings, based on studies of 3,148 species, offer clues to the overall fortunes of the UK's 59,000 species. Hedgehogs, turtle doves and red squirrels were among the species seeing the biggest falls in recent years, while butterflies, moths and bats also saw rapid declines.

Sir David Attenborough, who will present the State of Nature report at The Natural History Museum in London on Wednesday evening, called the findings “a stark warning”.

“This report shows that our species are in trouble, with many declining at a worrying rate," he said.

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