Natural England’s Tony Juniper: overseeing the devastation of England’s biodiversity
The chair of Natural England (the government’s adviser for the natural environment in England) has hypocritically argued that England “is going to have to work much harder” if it wants to meet biodiversity targets. In his role, Tony Juniper is actively responsible for the loss of biodiversity. The Tories’ biodiversity targets have already been called […]
Public Spaces Protection Orders
Public Space Protection Orders Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) were introduced under ‘Community Protection’, Chapter 2, Section 4 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. They give local authorities power to “ban specific acts in a designated geographical area in England and Wales”, and replace the earlier designated public place orders, gating orders […]
The Animal Welfare Act 2006
The Animal Welfare Act 2006 The Animal Welfare Act 2006 (which came in to force in April 2007) overhauled the legal protection of vertebrate animals. It applies to actions taken on the land and all inland waters and estuaries in England and Wales. The Act introduced the notion of species-specific legislation and combined over twenty […]
Hedgerows and the Law
Hedgerows and the Law In May 2024 Defra announced The Management of Hedgerows (England) Regulations 2024 which put the baseline for hedgerow management practices into law, providing a consistent approach for their protection across the country. This includes: a 2-metre buffer strip, measured from the centre of a hedgerow, where a green cover must be […]
Dogs and the Law
Dogs and the Law We love dogs here at Protect the Wild, but through no fault of their own they are widely used by hunters, shooters, and wildlife criminals like badger baiters and hare coursers to fight, chase, retrieve, or kill wild animals. That means that we may well come across dogs (or packs of […]
New footage shows the ‘untold suffering’ of legal traps on a notorious grouse shooting estate
Moorland Monitors has captured footage of a crow caught up and unnaturally twisted in a ‘clam trap’ on open access land in the Peak District. And it shows what one person can do with just a phone. Moorland Monitors shared phone-filmed footage showing two crows in two separate cages set next to each other. It […]
Avian Flu: RSPB calls for ban on bird releases by shooting industry
“To help limit the catastrophic spread of Avian Influenza, the RSPB is calling for an immediate moratorium on the release of captive-bred gamebirds and Mallards for shooting in the UK this year. The call is for the UK and devolved governments and the shooting industry to take a precautionary approach to limit the spread of […]
The Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021
The Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021 Burning of moorland in England is covered by the (voluntary) Heather and Grass Burning Code 2007 (Defra, 2007), the Heather and Grass Burning Regulations 2007 (Defra, 2007) and the Heather & Grass Burning Regulations (England) 2021 (Defra, 2021). Under the Heather & Grass Burning Regulations (England) […]
Paltry punishment for wealthy company that deliberately burnt moor
A company worth almost £20 million has pleaded guilty after it deliberately burnt swathes of moorland in the Peak District. Dunlin Ltd, which owns Midhope Moors, didn’t have a licence to set fire to the land but was fined just a paltry £2,645. Dunlin’s land agents, JM Osbourne Rural and Sporting, had initially applied for […]
Harrowing photos show why you shouldn’t have a BBQ or make a fire on moorland
Photos of recent wildfires on Marsden Moor are a stark reminder that we need to treat our precious moorland with care. Marsden Moor is in the southern Pennines, and is owned by the National Trust. It is a site of specific scientific interest (SSSI), due to its blanket bog habitat, as well as its breeding […]
Protectors of the Wild – putting eyes in the field
Have you ever wondered what UK law says about hunting, shooting, collecting bird eggs, or about foxes, badgers, and bats? About operating drones, using airguns, or driving quad bikes legally? What the Hunting Act 2004 says, or whether the snare or spring trap you’ve just found is being used within the law or not? Us […]
“Sickened”: Hen Harrier had head pulled off while still alive
Natural England (whose useless scheme to boost populations of the rare Hen Harrier has been slammed repeatedly by conservationists) says it is “sickened by evidence of persecution” of Hen Harriers after a staggering twenty of the rare birds ‘went missing’ from areas managed for grouse shooting in northern England in the past year. Hen Harrier […]
Mobile Phones and the Law
Mobile phones and the Law Mobile phones are ubiquitous and incredibly useful for RECORDING and REPORTING wildlife crime scenes for example. The law is very clear about using phones while driving a quad bike, for example, but phones are regularly seen at hunts – used both by sabs and monitors to photograph or record the […]
General Licences and the Law
General Licences and the Law Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (the primary legislation which protects animals, plants and habitats in the UK) all wild birds are protected. However there are a number of specific exemptions that allow some species of birds to be killed under what are known as Individual (or Specific) Licences (which […]
Lead Shot and the Law
Lead Shot and the Law Lead is a serious pollutant. Due to its high toxicity, most releases of lead into the environment are strictly regulated in Europe (e.g. see AMEC 2012). In the UK, lead was banned from water pipes decades ago, from paint in 1992, and finally fully banned from vehicle fuel in 2000. […]
Rabbits and the Law
Rabbits and the Law Rabbits are not native to the UK (they are from the Iberian Peninsula originally) and despite being here for around two thousand years, they are considered ‘pests’ in law. Since the Pest Act 1954 (which was put forward in response to huge agricultural losses) land occupiers – unless they can establish […]
Natural Resources Wales and one-sided ‘compromise’
As Protect the Wild’s Glen Black outlined in a March 31st news post, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is asking the public for its thoughts on new regulations designed to licence the release of pheasants and partridges by the shooting industry. Glen wrote that we need to ‘keep our eyes on the prize’ and that ‘those […]
A Proper Ban on Hunting
A proper ban on hunting It has been almost two decades since the passing of the Hunting Act 2004, banning the hunting of wild mammals with dogs in England and Wales. But hunts continue to operate, creating havoc and breaking the law by chasing and killing wild mammals under the guise of ‘trail hunting’, using […]
The Hunting Act 2004
The Hunting Act 2004 In force since 18 February 2005, the Hunting Act 2004 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which bans the hunting of most wild mammals (notably foxes, deer, hares and mink) with dogs in England and Wales. The Act does not cover the use of dogs in the […]
Wales is holding a public consultation on licensing parts of the shooting industry
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is asking the public for its thoughts on new regulation for releasing pheasants, partridges and other ‘non-native’ birds killed by the shooting industry. At present, there are regulations around the release of birds inside Wales’ sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs). However, beyond those areas, there is almost no regulatory oversight. […]
Cruelty Timeline
Cruelty Timeline Cruelty takes place all year round in the countryside. Snares and traps are being used in every month. Foxes are being shot and killed every day of the year. Someone, somewhere, will be breaking the law. Killing certain species of wildlife is legal though and here is a timeline showing when ‘seasons’ start […]
Trespass (to Land) and the Law
Trespass (to Land) and the Law In England and Wales, trespassing is entering – or putting property on – land that belongs to someone else, without their permission (technically “unjustifiable interference with land which is in the immediate and exclusive possession of another”) unless there is: some right of access for the public (for England […]
The Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Bill 2023
The Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023 The Scottish Government’s Hunting with Dogs Bill was passed in January 2023. It gained Royal Assent in March 2023, and finally came into force on 3rd October 2023 when NatureScot clarified the conditions under which licences might be given to applicants “requiring more than two dogs to manage […]
The CRoW Act 2000
The CRoW (Countryside and Rights of Way) Act 2000 The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CRoW Act) covers England and Wales and gives a public right of access to land mapped as ‘open country’ (mountain, moor, heath and down) or mapped areas of registered common land shown on official registers kept by the […]
CAMPAIGN: End Hunting on MoD land
Yesterday Protect the Wild launched a new petition-based campaign and a new animation: End Hunting on MoD (Ministry of Defence) Land. Within two hours our social media posts had been viewed almost 50k times, and by midday this morning over 5000 people had already signed our petition to the MoD calling on them to stop […]
Lamping and the Law
Lamping and the Law Lamping – or spotlighting – is a legal (though distasteful) activity typically using a spotlight, high power light or torch to dazzle and shoot animals at night. The light used is so bright that it will dazzle anything it shines on and the eyes of the animals reflect back even when […]
Anu: yet another Hen Harrier ‘disappears’
To quote the RSPB, “Hopes dashed for vanished Hen Harrier Anu, whose tag was found cut off after roosting on grouse moor”. Anu, a satellite tagged Hen Harrier, vanished after roosting near Upper Midhope in the Peak District National Park – on land managed for driven grouse shooting. RSPB Investigations Officers located the bird’s tag […]
Foxes and the Law
Foxes and the Law The Red Fox (the only fox species found in the UK) has the largest natural distribution of any land mammal except human beings. The UK population is around 375,000, and perhaps one-third are resident in our towns and cities. Data suggests that up to 50 per cent of the UK’s fox […]
Spring Traps and the Law
Spring traps and the Law Spring traps are most commonly used to kill (or ‘control’) small mammals on shooting estates by breaking their backs. They consist of a treadle plate and a ‘strike arm’, a spring-powered smooth (not toothed) ‘jaw’ which is triggered by an animal’s weight on the plate. The arm snaps across the […]
Quad Bikes and the Law
Quad Bikes and the Law Terriermen and hunt supporters often drive quad bikes (four-wheeled all-terrain vehicles). They routinely break the law while doing so, and attempt to confuse monitors and sabs by claiming they are driving ‘agricultural ATVs’ which don’t need MOTs. This page is designed to help clarify the issues All quads used on […]
Airguns and the Law
Airguns and the Law It is illegal to sell air weapons and ammunition to anybody under 18. Owners of airguns MUST stop someone under 18 gaining unauthorised access to them and will face a fine if they fail in this duty. Air weapons (like firearms) should be stored in a lockable cupboard or a gun […]
Firearms and the Law
Firearms and the Law Firearms (in general terms a rifle, pistol or any other kind of smaller, handheld gun) are regulated in the UK by the Firearms Act 1968. The Policing and Crime Act 2017 inserted section 55A in to the 1968 Act, allowing the Secretary of State to issue guidance to chief officers of […]
National Trust bans grouse shooting from a Peak District estate
The National Trust has announced it’s banning grouse shooting from 1,600 acres of its land in the Peak District. And it comes after the charity voiced concerns over the shooting industry’s “management techniques”. On 3 March, Sheffield paper The Star reported that the National Trust had chosen not to renew its relationship with the shooting […]
Woodcock petition debate: through the looking glass with the shooting lobby
On the 27th of February, Parliament debated petition 619615 ‘Limit the shooting season of Woodcock‘, which was launched by Wild Justice and signed by 107, 916 members of the public. The petition asked that the (so-called) shooting season for Woodcock, a species in serious decline here, should be moved back from 01 October (it starts […]
“The Shooting Industry: it’s not just hunts that kill foxes”
A fox trots through a quiet wood. Suddenly a gun blast tears the air. Pheasant alarm calls ring out. The fox runs as birds are shot out of the sky… Those are the opening few seconds of a new 90 second animation we’re about to launch. It’s produced for Protect the Wild by Ben Sinclair […]
Cage Traps and the Law
Cage Traps and the Law Cage traps are widely used by gamekeepers on shooting estates to trap and hold (then later kill by shooting or clubbing) corvids (crows, including magpies). As distressing as finding wild birds trapped in a cage trap may be, their use is (currently) legal – but only under strict conditions and […]
Gamekeepers burn moors above Sheffield
Avian Flu, declining biodiversity, and growing awareness of animal sentience, be damned. Warnings about the impacts of air pollution and microscopic smoke particulates on lung health and chronic respiratory problems, be damned. Climate change, be damned. Opportunities for local residents to enjoy the first blue skies and the first fresh air of the coming spring, […]
Hare Coursing and the Law
Hare Coursing and the Law Hare coursing is an illegal activity banned (along with hare hunting) by the Hunting Act 2004, which made it an offence for an individual to: participate in a hare coursing event; attend a hare coursing event; knowingly facilitate a hare coursing event; permit land which belongs to them to be […]
Drones and the Law
Using drones and the Law The laws on drone use are fairly straightforward – but importantly they are slightly different for drones weighing under 250g (the weight of drones operated by most monitor and sabs groups will be 249g) and larger, commercial drones which weigh above 250g. NOTE that from 01 January 2026 all new […]
Deer and the Law
Deer and the Law There are six species of deer in the UK: native Red and Roe Deer; Fallow Deer (first brought to Britain during the Roman period but now considered to be naturalised), and invasive, non-native Sika, (Reeves’) Muntjac and Water Deer. Deer populations are probably higher now than ever before. They are an […]
Birds of prey and the Law
Birds of Prey and the Law Birds of prey are widely persecuted on shooting estates (and on some farms) but all species are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and most (excluding Common Buzzard, Kestrel, and Sparrowhawk) also come under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This means that NO […]
Shooting near roads and rights of way and the Law
Shooting near roads and ways It can be intimidating to come across shooting activities near a road, footpath, or right of way but shooting is currently a legal activity and can legally take place in locations where the public have a right of access. There are laws governing shooting though, and it is a shoot […]
Poisoning/poisoned baits and the Law
Poisoning/poisoned baits and the Law The use of poison and poisoned baits to poison wild birds is illegal but is still taking place across the whole of the UK, particularly on some shooting estates and farms. Poisoning is silent compared with shooting and also less labour-intensive – no need to wait around for a bird […]
Badgers and the Law
Badgers and the Law Badgers are protected in law by the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 (passed to consolidate law previously contained in the Badgers Act 1973, the Badgers Act 1991 and the Badgers (Further Protection) Act 1991) and so are their setts (setts include entrances, tunnels, and underground chambers). Licences may be granted by […]
Wild Bird Eggs and the Law
Wild Bird Eggs and the Law The passing of The Protection of Birds Act 1954 made it illegal to take or destroy an egg of any wild bird and an offence unless “authorised by a licence granted under section ten of this Act” to sell, offer for sale or have in their possession for sale […]
Birds and the Law
Birds and the Law Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (the primary legislation which protects animals, plants and habitats in the UK) all wild birds are protected. A wild bird is defined as any bird of a species which is ordinarily resident in or is a visitor to the UK in a wild state (so, […]
Bats and the Law
Bats and the Law All bat species and their roosts are legally protected in the UK, by both domestic and international legislation including the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) – though as of 2023 the government is discussing removing the specific protection of all wildlife (including bats) currently provided by the EU’s Habitats […]
Nesting Birds, Nests and the Law
Nesting birds, Nests and the Law Under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (WCA, the primary legislation which protects animals, plants and habitats in the UK) it is: ‘an offence intentionally to kill, injure or take any wild bird, or take or destroy their eggs or nest, or damage a nest, while that nest is […]
Protectors of the Wild
Protectors of the Wild Have you ever wondered what UK law says about hunting, shooting, collecting bird eggs, or about foxes, badgers, and bats? About releasing Grey Squirrels in to the wild? About operating drones, using airguns, or driving quad bikes legally? What the Hunting Act 2004 or the CRoW Act 2000 says, or if […]
Pheasant shooting ‘season’ ends today
The vast majority of birds that breed in or regularly visit the UK are rightly protected by law and can not be harmed or killed at any time of the year. For those unfortunate species that were long ago declared as ‘game’ or ‘quarry’ though (and there are no biological reasons for the choices that […]
DARTMOOR: camping ban and pheasant shooting
On Saturday 21 January, Protect the Wild joined more than 3,000 people marching in protest on Dartmoor after a pheasant-shooting millionaire took action to prevent wild camping. Hedge fund manager Alexander Darwall, who owns the 4,000-acre Blachford Estate on Dartmoor, brought the case against Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA). The high court ruled in his […]
Where is shooting vulnerable
Where is shooting vulnerable? While many of us have come together to ‘protect the wild’ bird shooting is purely selfish and serves no common good. We will work to counter the ‘conservation’ greenwashing the industry employs. It uses birds as live targets. That shouldn’t be allowed. Non-animal shooting is now available, replicating the so-called ‘thrill’ […]