The I’m a Celebrity logo from ITV / REX
According to research by a wildlife charity, the creators of I’m a Celebrity brought invasive crabs to Wales without a license.
Buglife’s investigation has led police to re-investigate the popular ITV show, hosted live from Gwrych Castle near Abergele late last year
Turkish crabs were used in “bushtucker trials” on episode five of the series, but the show wasn’t allowed to own them, according to the charity.
TV naturalist Iolo Williams, who was asking questions about the introduction of alien species to the area at the time, called it “irresponsible.”
The revelations come four months after police opened an investigation into the show over concerns that non-native species escaped from the set to the Welsh countryside.
TV presenter and naturalist Iolo Williams told the Guardian, “This confirms my belief that it was highly irresponsible to own or release non-native species in the area.
“It doesn’t matter how safe you are in claiming the whole process, it’s still very irresponsible.
“We know we have massive problems with alien species that have been introduced in the past and are constantly being introduced – it costs the country millions of pounds each year.”
“Dangerously Invasive”
Matt Shardlow, CEO of Buglife, urging the police to reopen their investigation, added, “Entertainment is not one of the reasons people should have these dangerously invasive species in the first place – they just shouldn’t be using invasive species for kind of frivolous purposes” said
“These crabs were in a situation that was already highlighted as potentially risky for alien species to escape into the environment.
“Well, I don’t know if there were any risks that this particular one could escape, but that’s certainly something the police need to be careful of.”
The Welsh government said it could “find no evidence that a license application was made” in this case, while the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it had not received a license application and “had not done so either “one issued for the purpose for which it was used”.
A North Wales Police spokesman said: “If anyone wishes to provide us with further information and evidence, we will see if a later investigation is necessary.”
Turkish crabs, also known as narrow-clawed crabs, are listed as an alien invasive species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Even if kept in captivity, the 1996 ban on keeping live fish (crabs) is prohibited. They grow to be approximately 6 inches long and are one of the six alien crustaceans that went wild in Britain when they were introduced in the 1970s.
Turkish crabs are common in the English Midlands and South East England after they were introduced to these areas.
You will compete against the native white-clawed crabs, which are listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Invasive species are recognized as one of the top five causes of biodiversity decline worldwide.
In November, an ITV spokesman told the Guardian that the animals used are “only ever released in a closed area and collected immediately after filming. They are all purchased commercially in the UK and usually raised for animal feed. “
