PREVIEW

A project in Scotland has successfully hatched the first baby medicinal leeches to help restore their population. Twenty juvenile leeches were born over the past month at Highland Wildlife Park. The achievement follows efforts in 2023 to identify, capture, and breed Scotland's rare medicinal leeches, which are now only found in three sites. Medicinal leeches, once common in Scotland, declined due to habitat loss, pollution, and historical overharvesting for bloodletting. Dr. Helen Taylor of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland expressed excitement over the unexpected early success of the project. The team faced challenges, adapting facilities to provide optimal care for the leeches. The baby leeches are feeding well and will soon enter a state of torpor for winter, with hopes of releasing them into the wild in future. Partners like Buglife and Species on the Edge will work with local communities to reintroduce these leeches into suitable habitats across Scotland.