Dozens of hand-reared curlews have been released on to reserves in Gloucestershire as part of a trial to conserve the species in lowland England. It is hoped that the birds will join endangered wild populations and return to the Severn Vale in future years, boosting the numbers of breeding pairs in the area. The curlew, recently called the ‘panda of UK conservation’ by ministers, could be lost forever in parts of the UK in as little as 15 years, forcing experts at the wetland charity WWT to intervene

Photograph: Samuel Walker/WWT