News - WWT
Cause for celebration over crane chicks
Spring has arrived along with the pitter patter of tiny feet at WWT Welney Wetland Centre, where the common crane has bred successfully for the first time. These scarce birds are shy and secretive during the breeding season, but to the delight of staff
19 April 2018
Once common duck now rarer than giant panda, experts reveal
The Critically Endangered Baer’s pochard population is estimated at less than 1000, making them rarer than giant pandas. There are between 250 and 999 Baer’s pochard left in wild compared to 1864 giant pandas, according to the latest figures on the
11 April 2018
WWT Snapshot Jan-Mar 2018
Thank you to almost a million of you who visited WWT's nine wetland centres in the 12 months to April 2018. You are supporting huge amounts of conservation work around the world. Here's just a sample of what you've helped to achieve in the last three mo
3 April 2018
Multi-billion pound bill from 'nature invaders' set to soar post-Brexit
WWT is warning that action is needed from the Government to tackle the potentially spiralling cost to the economy of invasive plant and animal species post-Brexit. The warning comes as a coalition of charities, coordinated by Wildlife and Countryside Link
27 March 2018
Vote online to help red-breasted geese
Pioneering work to resolve conflicts between farmers and vulnerable red-breasted geese in Bulgaria has been nominated for the EU Natura 2000 Citizens Award. Voting is open to the public until 22 April 2018. WWT is urging its supporters to vote online here
23 March 2018
Pensioner who made bucket list meets black swans at WWT Washington
Tommy Hagan’s dream came true at WWT Washington when he met two exotic black swans for the very first time. The beautiful birds, named Tommy and Gloria, in honour of their special visitor and his wife, greeted the 81-year-old. He was over the moon to ti
21 March 2018
WWT sets
(Main pic: WWT's Dr Richard Benwell arrives at Westminster to give evidence to an MPs' enquiry) WWT has set the Government a challenge to find a "magic missing metric" to underpin its plan for our environment's future. The challenge was set as WWT's Hea
20 March 2018
WWT marks International Women's Day by celebrating pioneer's aviation award
Ground-breaking paramotorist Sacha Dench has been awarded the British Women Pilots’ Association (BWPA) accolade for her record-breaking solo 7000km trip highlighting the plight of the endangered Bewick’s swan. Sacha was awarded the Jean Lennox Bird Pe
8 March 2018
Wildlife though a lens! WWT launches photography competition in Slough
Slough’s budding wildlife photographers will have the chance to showcase their skills at a local photography competition launching in March. WWT, together with Slough Youth Parliament, are running the event which aims to celebrate the town’s waterw
27 February 2018
Spring is near! First Bewick's swan of the season has left for the Arctic
Leho, who arrived at WWT Welney on December 15, has called time on his winter holiday and begun the 2500km epic trip back to his summer dwellings in Arctic Russia. After leaving the reserve at 7am, the enthusiastic swan crossed over the North Sea in two a
20 February 2018
Sky's the limit! Conservationist who conquered fear of flying bags prestigious aviation award
WWT’s Sacha Dench has been awarded the coveted Britannia Trophy for her record-breaking solo 7000km journey by paramotor across the endangered Bewick’s swans’ migratory route. The 42-year-old began paramotoring after joining WWT in 2009 following a
13 February 2018
Hand-reared godwits found safe and sound in Portugal
Two of the first ever British wading birds to be released into the wild under a new conservation technique have been spotted alive and well – 1,200 miles away in Portugal. The two black-tailed godwits from Norfolk were among 26 that conservationists hat
8 February 2018
WWT Consulting shares bird monitoring skills with international group in Dubai
The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust’s consultancy (WWT Consulting) has been showing conservationists in Dubai how to safely catch and ring waterbirds. Kane Brides and Bob Swann spent a week demonstrating how to use various catching methods including a who
7 February 2018
WWT celebrates successful year at People's Postcode Lottery's annual charity gala
WWT rubbed shoulders with celebs at the gala at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh to mark another exciting year, thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery. WWT received a fantastic £600,000 from players in late 2017, which will contribute to
6 February 2018
Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust campaign nominated for prestigious award
WWT is crossing its fingers as voting gets underway to select the winners of the BBC Countryfile Magazine awards 2018. The charity’s Flight of the Swans has been nominated for ‘conservation success of the year’ by the popular publication which celeb
5 February 2018