Scots mussels put on ‘endangered’ list

Scottish freshwater pearl mussels have joined giant pandas and Javan rhinos in a book listing 365 of the world’s “most endangered species”.

The valuable pearls, which are often a target for thieves, are included in the Species on the Edge of Survival guide compiled by the International Union for Conservation (IUCN).

The book, published by Collins, includes the pearl mussels because of the threat posed by poachers and habitat loss.

Scotland has a total of 21 designated sites for pearl mussels, with Scottish rivers holding about half of the world’s population of the species.

In 2010, a survey suggested about 75 per cent of the country’s internationally-important pearl mussel sites had been damaged by criminals.

Criminal acts ranged from illegal pearl fishing to unauthorised river works which resulted in the destruction of entire pearl mussel populations. In one river system in the west Highlands, one of the largest pearl mussel beds of at least 600 animals was found to have disappeared since the previous monitoring visit five years earlier, with no explanation other than destructive pearl fishing.

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) said the destruction was “shocking”.

The mussels are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.