Spiders, Spoonbills and sandeels among five reasons to celebrate nature this year

As RSPB chief executive, Beccy Speight, explained: “This year has secured major nature wins – from the historic sandeel fishing closure to saving species like Saiga antelope from extinction – the RSPB has demonstrated what can be achieved through vital conservation efforts.

“This wouldn’t have been possible without the passionate help from our members, volunteers and supporters.

“Whilst nature still faces many challenges, the RSPB is committed to finding, implementing and championing solutions that will give hope to our precious wildlife and wild spaces for many years to come.

Saving seabirds with sandeels

The UK is home to globally important seabird colonies and the sight of Puffins and Kittiwakes with beaks full of sandeels is an indicator of a healthy marine ecosystem.

Yet industrial sandeel fishing has jeopardised their survival.

The RSPB has campaigned for the closure of fisheries since 1996 and in January was successful when it achieved a historic win – industrial sandeel fisheries are now closed in the English waters of the North Sea and all Scottish waters.

But, with the EU Commission now challenging the closure, the RSPB, along with conservation groups across the UK and Europe is continuing to campaign to ensure there is no roll-back on this hard-won victory.

Beccy continues: “The closure of industrial sandeel fisheries has provided a lifeline to under-pressure seabird species such as Puffins and Kittiwakes that depend on sandeels for food.

“Their populations are in serious decline and this closure is an essential first step towards helping their populations to recover, thereby underpinning wider marine food chains that support our seabirds.”

Spoonbill ‘teaspoon’ success

This iconic wetland species, with their white plumage and fascinating spoon-shaped bills, bred in the UK until Medieval times but was driven to extinction due to hunting and draining of wetlands.

This year, we celebrated Spoonbills nesting at RSPB Ouse Washes in Cambridgeshire for the first time since the 17th century.

Their return is the result of their increase in numbers in Europe due to dedicated efforts to protect and restore vital wetland habitat. Spoonbills also fared well at Havergate Island, increasing from 14 pairs in 2023 to 17 in 2014 which fledged 35 young, while increasing from five to 17 pairs at Fairburn Ings where they fledged 27 young.

Their chicks are affectionately known as “teaspoons” by reserve teams. As numbers of this rare breeding bird continue to increase, Spoonbills are now on track for another successful year.

Wasps and the Wilkins’ Bunting – an unlikely duo

The RSPB’s conservation work around the world has also been successful this year, with a ground-breaking project saving one of the world’s rarest birds from extinction.

The Wilkins’ Bunting is endemic to Nightingale Island, part of the Tristan da Cunha Group in the South Atlantic, and specialises in feeding from a singular native tree.

The bird suffered devastating losses when an invasive insect was accidentally introduced, killing the trees.

To save the species, conservationists discovered that releasing a specific wasp onto the island could control the insects and allow healthy tree growth – throwing the Wilkins’ Bunting a lifeline.

As part of the novel project, wasps were transported 10,000km from London to Nightingale Island.

Despite only 10% of wasps surviving the journey, they have established a population to control the invasive insects and support forest recovery.

Recent surveys estimate between 60 and 90 breeding pairs of Wilkins’ Buntings have established themselves and their numbers are expected to increase again – a significantly brighter outlook for this Critically Endangered bird.

Hope for our biggest spider species

Back in the UK, the Fen Raft Spider continues to make an impressive comeback following pioneering translocation work by the RSPB and a number of different organisations helping to secure the future of these special arachnids.

Considered one of the rarest spider species in the UK, Fen Raft Spiders are semi-aquatic ambush predators, actively hunting their prey on the water’s surface.

By introducing spiders to new sites and managing the grazing marshes required to support their needs, Fen Raft Spider numbers have recovered – there are now potentially 3,750 females at RSPB Mid Yare on the Norfolk Broads where they were first introduced in 2012. The restoration, management and protection of these niche habitats are therefore vital for the spiders’ populations to thrive.

Unique antelope help wins prestigious prize

And finally, the RSPB’s conservation work on an international level, as part of the Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative, won the prestigious Earthshot Prize 2024 for the ecosystem restoration, and subsequent recovery of Saiga Antelope, in Kazakhstan.

The initiative has enabled the species to recover to more than 2.8 million antelope from lows of 40,000 just 20 years ago – one of the most significant mammal recoveries ever recorded.

This large-scale collaborative project works across 75 million hectares to conserve and restore the grassland, wetland, and deserts of Kazakhstan, home to the once Critically Endangered Saiga Antelope.

This keystone species was historically poached for their horns and numbers crashed in the early 2000s, but research, anti-poaching, anti-smuggling, protected area establishment, and public education efforts have since enabled Saiga Antelope populations to recovery to astonishing levels.

The initiative continues to benefit many other threatened species, including Steppe Eagles, Sociable Lapwing, Kulan (wild ass) and Przewalski’s Horse, demonstrating the wide-scale success of delivering conservation effectively.

Looking ahead to 2025 – countdown to 2030

These recent wins for nature give hope for wildlife and the natural world that we all depend on. Yet nature remains threatened by challenges such as climate change, habitat loss and inappropriate development, with 1 in 6 wildlife species at risk of extinction from Great Britain. As a result, the UK remains one of the most nature-depleted places in the world.

Beccy Speight added: “With just five years remaining to deliver on legally binding 2030 nature targets, the UK government must urgently invest in nature and commit to a programme of action that will keep common species common and save those on the brink of being lost.

“This means increasing the UK agricultural budget to ensure farmers have the resources and support to farm in a way that works for them, for nature and the climate.

“We also need a clear delivery plan to ensure we hit the target of 30% of our land and seas being effectively protected and managed well for nature by 2030.

“And crucially, we must ensure that energy infrastructure development and house building reforms are seen as an opportunity to drive nature’s recovery, supporting nature to thrive and avoiding those places where it already does.

“The scale of the challenge is huge, but we already know the solutions and where they’re in place, they’re already making a difference.

“What is needed now is the political will and ambition to see them delivered urgently and at scale.”