Toads
Cars are squashing numbers of the common toad, with a 68 per cent fall over the past three decades. South-east England has experienced the worst declines.
Water voles
The water vole – Ratty in The Wind in the Willows – experienced a precipitous decline throughout the 20th century. Despite an intensive conservation effort, its range on Canal and River Trust waterways fell by almost 50 per cent this century. Many are preyed on by American mink – escapees from fur farms.
Butterflies
The abundance of common butterfly species has fallen by 69 per cent in towns and cities and 45 per cent in rural areas over 20 years from 1995. Small coppers and small heaths have been particularly badly affected in urban areas, falling by 75 per cent and 78 per cent respectively.
Swifts
These amazing migratory birds scream as they dash through the sky and breed in British towns every summer. They can go at least 10 months without touching solid ground but have still declined by 33 per cent over the last decade. Modern building regulations have blocked up their nests in the eaves but a loss of insect food is also driving their disappearance.
Foxes
There is some evidence urban fox numbers are rising, particularly in the north, but England’s fox population has fallen by 43 per cent between 1995 and 2015, including a sharp drop since 2010. A decline in rabbit numbers, because of disease and falling earthworm populations, are the main factors, but there is anecdotal evidence that more have been shot since the hunting ban.
Bees
A study of 62 species of wild bees that feed on flowers of rapeseed found declines of up to 30 per cent over 17 years, with a 10 per cent reduction in distribution attributed to recently banned neonicotinoid pesticides. On average, nearly 20 per cent of Britain’s honeybee colonies have been lost each winter since surveying began nine years ago.
