Great news. The presence of Little whirlpool ram’s horn snail Anisus vorticulus means that the Arun Valley has now been given protection under European Law as a Special Area of Conservation. (Find out what we are doing to defend these laws).
The Arun Valley SAC (which covers both Pulbrough Brooks and Amberley Wildlbrooks) is one of only 3 SAC sites in the UK that have been designated for this species.
The Lesser whirlpool ram’s-horn snail Anisus vorticulus is a small aquatic snail with a flattened spiral shell rarely more than 5 mm in diameter. It occurs in unpolluted, calcareous waters in marsh drains with a dense aquatic flora, and favours ditches with a diverse flora but little emergent vegetation. It often floats on the surface amongst duckweed Lemna spp. Ditches that are either completely cleared of vegetation or are choked with weed and silt are unsuitable. Winter flooding may be important in enabling young snails to colonise new ditches. The main threats to the species include land drainage, inappropriate habitat management and eutrophication, and studies of its requirements and conservation management have been undertaken.
This now means that the RSPB reserve at Pulborough Brooks has been recognised at the highest level for its nature conservation/ wildlife importance holding the designations of Site if Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Ramsar Site (Wetland of International importance), Special Protection Area SPA (European Birds Directive) and Special Area of Conservation SAC.