An endangered leech species is on the brink of extinction in the UK, with only four populations left – but conservationists have stepped in to save it.
Once a relatively common species, the medicinal leech is the largest native leech species in the UK.
Its decline began with the historical medicine trade (it is still important in medicine, used to increase blood circulation), and more recently by the drainage of wetlands and changes in land use.
The Freshwater Habitats Trust and ZSL London Zoo have started breeding them in captivity, and hope to reintroduce them back into the wild in the UK soon.
Main image: Adult medicinal leech at London Zoo's Tiny Giants habitat/London Zoo
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