Wildlife Management and Licensing
Wildlife Management and Licensing has three main roles:
- provide advice on wildlife management - see our leaflets and frequently asked wildlife questions: (560kb)
- issue licences - download our application forms
- assist with enforcement and inspection - including suspected wildlife poisoning.
Site map - try this if you cannot easily find what you need.
To read more about our work see our leaflet Wildlife Management and Licensing - Balancing the needs of people and wildlife
. We are committed to providing a high quality service. So that people know what they can expect with regard to customer service we have published the details of our service standards: (134kb). We regularly monitor our performance against these standards and our performance statistics will be published at 6 monthly intervals.
All of our guidance, best practice guides and information relating to Wildlife Management and Licensing is given in the List of Regulatory Guidance, Best Practice and Information: (145kb)
. Each entry provides a link to the documents. Publication of this list is part of the Government’s commitment to the Code of Practice on Guidance on Regulation.
Latest news
(16 May 2013) Natural England has published new guidance: (180kb)
on the capture and marking of bats. It has been written with Professor John Altringham and Dr Anita Glover from Leeds University. Anyone wishing to capture and mark bats may only do so under a licence and this guidance is essential reading. (29 April 2013) We have simplified the GCN licensing process in a move designed to see more GCN applications receiving a licence on the 1st submission. Please read our FAQs: (90kb)
which explain the annexed licence process, what it involves and see the application page for the new and revised templates. Also see the latest EPS Newsletter announcement which explains this in more detail. (27 March 2013) Please note Natural England has updated the application form for bat mitigation licences WML-A13.1: (337kb)
to take into account the recent Class Survey Licences. Always ensure that the latest forms are downloaded when completing a new application please.(13 March 2013) Following feedback we have made minor revisions to the Bat Class licences to clarify what they entail. A declaration has been added to the report form - that the registered person confirms accredited agents used were suitably qualified and competent. The bat science and conservation application form: (170kb)
has also been updated.
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Badger control update: Public opportunity to comment opens for Dorset reserve pilot area
(9 May 2013) In February, Natural England confirmed that all criteria had been met to allow badger control to take place during the open season* in the pilot areas of west Somerset and west Gloucestershire, for the purpose of preventing the spread of bovine tuberculosis (bTB).
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"An-nex" step towards better regulation
(30 April 2013) As part of Natural England’s ongoing commitment to improving our current regulation system, the great crested newt (GCN) licensing process has been simplified, in a move designed to see more newt licence applications receiving a licence on first submission of the application.
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(25 March 2013) A research project designed to address the difficult challenge of striking a balance between the long-term preservation of important bat colonies and the needs of the congregation of St Hilda’s Church in Ellerburn is set to begin this month.
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(1 February 2013) Licensed bat surveyors will no longer be driven batty by paperwork, as Natural England unveils a new series of licences designed to reduce administrative burdens.
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New bat trapping guidance published
(17 May 2013) New guidance for bat surveyors and researchers on the use of capture and marking techniques, permissible under the authority of an appropriate licence, has been published by Natural England today.
