MY MISSION TO RESCUE BRITAIN’S WILDLIFE
SIR David Attenborough has called on the Government to protect Britain’s wildlife before it is too late.
The naturalist said the UK is “one of the most nature-depleted places on the planet”.
Yesterday he said that introducing a law that would force town planners to make wildlife a priority would “help nature to flourish”.
Sir David spoke out after a shocking report revealed how fauna and flora are on the decline.
The State Of Nature report said more than two-fifths of species have had significant losses since the 1970s.
It also warned that around 15 per cent of mammals and plants could be lost.
Among the species at risk are Scottish wildcats and greater mouse-eared bats. In 500 years, 133 species have vanished from Britain’s shores, including birds like the wryneck and serin.
But some previously extinct species – such as bittern and large blue butterflies – have returned to the UK, thanks to conservation efforts.
Sir David believes a network of wild places will link up wildlife-friendly habitats, instead of forcing once commonly-seen creatures such as hedgehogs and dormice into smaller and increasingly isolated pockets of greenery.
In a video for The Wildlife Trusts, Sir David said: “A wildlife-rich natural world is vital for our wellbeing and survival. We need wild places to thrive, yet many of our systems and laws have failed the natural world.
“By joining up wild places and creating more across the UK, we would improve our lives and help nature to flourish – because everything works better when it’s connected.”
Sir David, who is The Wildlife Trusts’ president emeritus, added: “We need a nature recovery network set in law.
“A legally binding network for nature would mean that wildlife is prioritised when managing our land and planning our towns. Powerful new environmental laws can ensure habitats are expanded and reconnected, meaning all life will thrive once more.
“It’s time to turn things around. Nature is capable of extraordinary recovery but we must act now.”