Discover Your Countryside – Predator Control

As part of many on-going conservation projects that work to manage and develop the countryside, pest and predator control is also an integral part of many charities and wildlife associations’ work. In order to reduce predation of various wildlife species and bring numbers of many flourishing species to acceptable levels, effective management of certain populations is essential to the survival of the rest.

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 gives detailed legislation regarding the methods in which predation is actioned. It is the responsibility of all those involved in pest and predator control to ensure their methods are legal, humane and carried out with sensitivity and respect for other countryside users. From birds and foxes, to grey squirrels, rats, stoats and weasels, the legislation relating to such over-populated species is heavily monitored, with specific procedures in place to help control their numbers.

The BASC website gives a detailed summary of legislations relating to wildlife welfare and its management. When it comes to capturing pests, there are laws put in place which define what type of species are allowed to be caught. The use of traps and the types in which they employ for the capture of small mammals, demonstrates how tightly the management of such pests are. BASC describes how there are two types of trap commonly used for the control of mammalian pests and predators.  Spring traps (consisting of a trigger plate and some form of jaws) and cage traps (live catchers). Box traps and multi-catch drop traps are occasionally used – however, use of all such traps are only for the capture of mammals as outlined by the various wildlife acts, with many species such as the pine marten, otter, red squirrel, badger and wild cat fully protected.

To find out more about pest and predator control and information relating to many of the UK’s wildlife and shooting sports, visit the BASC website at www.basc.org.uk

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