91Èȱ¬

91Èȱ¬ cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew escaped from the confines of the Test Match Special box, to hear from the experts fighting to preserve some of the East Midlands most threatened wildlife species.

The Derbyshire Peak district is home to the only surviving group of mountain hares in mainland England.Ìý

Mountain hares are native only to the Highlands of Scotland. They were brought down to England in the late 19th century to colonise grouse moors, and provide extra shooting opportunities for the sporting guns.

Every winter the mountain hare turns white to match the wintry background, to protect itself from predators. Warmer winters mean much less snow, and now the white mountain hare has become an easy target for passing predators.

The changing weather is not the only threat – mountain hares face a battle for their habitat too. They thrive in heather and the moorland on which it is found is rarer than rainforest.Ìý Jonathan travelled to the High Peak to see what volunteers are doing to protect our very own endangered species.

View the video below to see Jonathan's visit to Derby.