Thousands of rare grasshoppers released in Norfolk after 86 years; conservation project achieves first wild hatching since 1939 |

The large marsh grasshopper has returned to Norfolk after 86 years, following a conservation project to restore the rare insect’s population in the region’s wetlands. The species has now hatched in the wild in the Broads for the first time since 1939. The return follows the Hop of Hope project, led by Citizen Zoo, in which volunteers raised thousands of grasshoppers before releasing them at restored wetland sites.According to Natural England, UK, the initiative received funding through Natural England’s £13 million Species Recovery Programme Capital Grants scheme. The project also supports England’s wider conservation efforts, as the government aims to halt species decline by 2030.

Large marsh grasshopper returns to the Norfolk Broads after 86 years

The Hop of Hope project has brought the large marsh grasshopper back to the Norfolk Broads, where large marsh grasshoppers hatched in the wild for the first time since 1939. The species disappeared from the area after habitat degradation damaged its wetland habitats.To restore its population, the conservation project released grasshoppers at suitable sites across Norfolk. Reportedly, the project has now achieved the first wild hatching of large marsh grasshoppers in the Norfolk Broads since 1939.The insects are also breeding and establishing sustainable populations, marking an important step towards reversing the species’ regional extinction.

PC: Natural England

How the Hop of Hope project restored grasshopper populations in Norfolk

Citizen Zoo’s Hop of Hope project used conservation techniques that allowed volunteers to rear large marsh grasshoppers before releasing them into restored wetland habitats. The approach involved pre-incubated eggs, which helped establish new populations at Norfolk sites where bog and fen habitats are thriving.Thousands of grasshoppers were raised and released as part of the effort to bring the species back to the region. Hannah Thacker, area director for Natural England’s Norfolk and Suffolk team, said the project’s partners had developed groundbreaking techniques using pre-incubated eggs.Dr Stuart Green of Citizen Zoo said, “The Species Recovery Capital Grant has helped us reintroduce one of the rarest grasshoppers in the UK. Citizen Zoo is reliant on experienced volunteers to make programmes like the Hop to Hope work and funding like this is vital to their success”.

Natural England funding supports 63 wildlife conservation projects across England

The grasshopper reintroduction forms part of Natural England’s £13 million Species Recovery Programme Capital Grants scheme, which supports projects targeting threatened wildlife. Between August 2023 and March 2025, the programme funded 63 conservation projects across England.The funding also attracted more than £6.5 million in matching contributions from partner organisations and volunteer value. Other projects supported in East Anglia include improvements to in-channel habitats for eels in the River Bure, efforts to expand northern pool frog sites, and the restoration of acid grassland and heathland in Dunwich for nightjar, woodlark and adder.The government has committed to halt species decline by 2030. The grasshopper’s return is part of wider efforts to create England’s Nature Recovery Network.

Conservation partners plan further grasshopper reintroductions across Norfolk

Further reintroductions of large marsh grasshoppers could take place at other sites across Norfolk, depending on funding and the suitability of locations. The Hop of Hope project is a partnership led by Citizen Zoo, involving Norfolk Wildlife Trust, The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire, Natural England and the South Yare Wildlife Group.Their work has helped establish grasshopper populations in restored wetland habitats. Natural England is also planning to extend delivery of the Species Recovery Programme for up to four years, covering the period from 2026-27 to 2029-30. The project’s progress highlights the role of funding, volunteers and conservation partnerships in supporting the recovery of threatened species across England.