The white-clawed crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes is the UK's only native species of crayfish. It likes alkaline water with limited sediment and pollution, and lives in habitats such as rivers, streams, canals or quarries with plenty of shelter from rocks or plants.

These crayfish look like small lobsters and are 10-12cm long. Numbers have been reduced by crayfish plague and competition with larger, introduced species.

Living to between 7 and 12 years old, they are omniverous and themselves are eaten by larger animals living in and around water such as otters, mink, pike and trout.

The white-clawed crayfish is protected by law in the UK and a licence is required from English Nature to undertake any activity involving this species.