Wildlife

Wildlife Legal Protection and Enforcement

Legal protection for wildlife species requires effective enforcement to translate legislation into reduced suffering and population recovery.

Key Facts

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects most UK wild bird and animal species
Wildlife crime including poisoning, trapping and persecution of raptors continues illegally
The National Wildlife Crime Unit coordinates law enforcement across agencies
Prosecution rates for wildlife crime are low relative to estimated offending rates
Wildlife camera traps are increasingly used in evidence gathering for prosecution

Welfare Considerations

Legal protection for wildlife is meaningless without enforcement. Wildlife crime causes significant welfare harm to individual animals and undermines conservation. Public reporting, camera evidence and advocacy for stronger prosecution support law enforcement in protecting wildlife welfare.

What You Can Do

Report suspected wildlife crime to the police wildlife crime officer and RSPB
Support wildlife camera trap evidence-gathering projects in your region
Advocate for stronger prosecution guidelines and penalties for wildlife crime