Extinction Britain: Wildlife survey exposes shocking decline in animals

The Amazon is on fire; the Arctic ice is melting. But there is an environmental crisis closer to home.

One in seven British species is threatened with extinction, according to a new report by the country’s main wildlife and conservation charities.

It shows there have been strong or moderate declines in 41% of all species since 1970.

Tonight we are broadcasting live from Wimpole Hall Farm in Cambridgeshire, run by the National Trust and will be looking at the story of extinction Britain.

The crisis is effecting favourites like the hedgehog, whose numbers are down 95% gone since the 1950s.

Turtle doves, meanwhile – famous from the Christmas song – are now one of Britain’s most endangered birds, with 98% gone in the last 50 years.

On today’s programme, Jon Snow will also be meeting Ralph Steadman – famous for his cartoons of politicians, but now obsessed with birds and ‘Gonzovation’, raising awareness of the losses to wildlife that we face.

Watch tonight at 7pm on Channel 4.