After the idiot shooting an otter I decided to do a little digging in to the rehabilitation but more so the release of otters. So I asked Natural England and these are the two responses I got;
1 - Under the Conservation of Habitats & Species Regulations 2017, it is an offence under sec 43 (1)(a) for a person to deliberately capture, injure or kill any wild animal of a European protected species. It is also an offence under sec 43(3)(a) for a person to be in possession of, or to control a wild animal of a European Protected Species and an offence under 43(3)(b) for a person to transport said animal.
However, under sec 44 (1) a person will not guilty of the offence under regulation 43(1)(a) of deliberately capturing a wild animal of a European protected species, or an offence under regulation 43(3)(a)
or (b), if the person can demonstrate that the act in question—
(a) was in relation to an animal that had been disabled otherwise than by the person's unlawful act; and
(b) was done solely for one or both of the purposes of—
(i) tending it and releasing it when no longer disabled; or
(ii) releasing it after it had been tended
With regard to the release of a rehabilitated otter, you would need to try to avoid doing so into an environment where it could cause conflict e.g. a fishery or that would compromise its chances of survival. Because the animal will have been ‘under the control of man' (albeit temporarily), failing to consider the aforementioned points (i.e. appropriate release sites), could result in the offence of ‘causing unnecessary suffering' under sec 4 of The Animal Welfare Act 2006. Obtaining landowner permission to release the otter is another consideration.
2 - A licence is not required for release of a native wild species following rehabilitation.
Ideally the animal should be released at or near the location it was found injured in suitable habitat.
Now bare in mind these responses came from two people in the same team, in the same office.
Basically it shows that depending on who you speak to there is a real different message being put out there. But ultimately you do not need a license keep or release an otter if the purpose is for rehabilitation. So DO NOT listen to anything UKWOT or whoever tell you when they say you need a license.
The glimmer of hope? If somehow you find out an otter has been released near your water without your prior knowledge then there is a law being broken and you would have a legal case. Proving the release is difficult though unless there is photo or document evidence, which no doubt anyone releasing one will not have.
It shows the farce that it is, no documented numbers, releases, etc. I would like to see a change pushed by the PAG and/or AT in the higher echelons they operate in, me talking to my local NE contacts wont get it changed.
1 - Under the Conservation of Habitats & Species Regulations 2017, it is an offence under sec 43 (1)(a) for a person to deliberately capture, injure or kill any wild animal of a European protected species. It is also an offence under sec 43(3)(a) for a person to be in possession of, or to control a wild animal of a European Protected Species and an offence under 43(3)(b) for a person to transport said animal.
However, under sec 44 (1) a person will not guilty of the offence under regulation 43(1)(a) of deliberately capturing a wild animal of a European protected species, or an offence under regulation 43(3)(a)
or (b), if the person can demonstrate that the act in question—
(a) was in relation to an animal that had been disabled otherwise than by the person's unlawful act; and
(b) was done solely for one or both of the purposes of—
(i) tending it and releasing it when no longer disabled; or
(ii) releasing it after it had been tended
With regard to the release of a rehabilitated otter, you would need to try to avoid doing so into an environment where it could cause conflict e.g. a fishery or that would compromise its chances of survival. Because the animal will have been ‘under the control of man' (albeit temporarily), failing to consider the aforementioned points (i.e. appropriate release sites), could result in the offence of ‘causing unnecessary suffering' under sec 4 of The Animal Welfare Act 2006. Obtaining landowner permission to release the otter is another consideration.
2 - A licence is not required for release of a native wild species following rehabilitation.
Ideally the animal should be released at or near the location it was found injured in suitable habitat.
Now bare in mind these responses came from two people in the same team, in the same office.
Basically it shows that depending on who you speak to there is a real different message being put out there. But ultimately you do not need a license keep or release an otter if the purpose is for rehabilitation. So DO NOT listen to anything UKWOT or whoever tell you when they say you need a license.
The glimmer of hope? If somehow you find out an otter has been released near your water without your prior knowledge then there is a law being broken and you would have a legal case. Proving the release is difficult though unless there is photo or document evidence, which no doubt anyone releasing one will not have.
It shows the farce that it is, no documented numbers, releases, etc. I would like to see a change pushed by the PAG and/or AT in the higher echelons they operate in, me talking to my local NE contacts wont get it changed.
In reply to Post #255
I know exactly how many otters have been rehabbed by UKWOT
3 have been rehabbed and released in the area that they were found
3 are currently in process of being re habbed, one of which has died.
I know exactly how many otters have been rehabbed by UKWOT
3 have been rehabbed and released in the area that they were found
3 are currently in process of being re habbed, one of which has died.
In reply to Post #1
My local lake Brighouse angling club has had do put otter fence up at a big cost to them money what could have spent on fish stocks and up keep still a great club
My local lake Brighouse angling club has had do put otter fence up at a big cost to them money what could have spent on fish stocks and up keep still a great club
In reply to Post #257
a fence is far more important than new stock
a fence is far more important than new stock
In reply to Post #5
another otter found dead near near the yateley complex last week
another otter found dead near near the yateley complex last week
In reply to Post #263
road kill figures have increased massively in the last 12 months nationally
road kill figures have increased massively in the last 12 months nationally
In reply to Post #264
I saw one in the road a few weeks ago,..there's a small fishery less then half a mile from when I seen it lolopping along..
It's also in the same area where a pair were released into a river that feeds off of an old open cast mine,this release was witnessed by a local beef farmer who challenged them,they didn't know the river was barren,but the fishery nearby was not barren,...its now missing a few nice carp though,and of course a few bitten survivors..
Such a shame..
I saw one in the road a few weeks ago,..there's a small fishery less then half a mile from when I seen it lolopping along..
It's also in the same area where a pair were released into a river that feeds off of an old open cast mine,this release was witnessed by a local beef farmer who challenged them,they didn't know the river was barren,but the fishery nearby was not barren,...its now missing a few nice carp though,and of course a few bitten survivors..
Such a shame..
In reply to Post #265
who released it mate
who released it mate
Looks like a bit of lighbulb moment here - note how it's "expensive pet fish" in this instance which has merited it a headline on the BBC website.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-61756567
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-61756567
In reply to Post #272
I seen this as well..
The media in this instance is a bit behind,like 20 plus years behind ,there are many instances I learnt of the lutra lutra destroying garden ponds and stocked water features..
Someone put it on YouTube,to read the comments under the info on YouTube,confirms everything I have learnt about the British peoples perception of a wild or pre released apex predator..
In short they don't have a clue..,
I seen this as well..
The media in this instance is a bit behind,like 20 plus years behind ,there are many instances I learnt of the lutra lutra destroying garden ponds and stocked water features..
Someone put it on YouTube,to read the comments under the info on YouTube,confirms everything I have learnt about the British peoples perception of a wild or pre released apex predator..
In short they don't have a clue..,
In reply to Post #223
Totally Agree
Totally Agree
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTYZwTl8lNI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3dRdQDeK_A
the late John Wilson had something to say about otters too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUf8q7eGmKQ
at around 4minutes into the video, but its all worth watching.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3dRdQDeK_A
the late John Wilson had something to say about otters too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUf8q7eGmKQ
at around 4minutes into the video, but its all worth watching.
In reply to Post #275
Yes it was a total act of utter stupidity - nobody with any intelligence would re-release an apex predator into an environment without first ensuring the relevant natural food source was also present in abundant numbers too.
It was the Industrial revolution that wiped the Otter population out, as every toxin/poison imaginable was just dumped into water courses wiping out the Otters main food sources (Eels and Salmon)
Did these clowns who re-introduced Otters actually have the intelligence to check prior what the levels of prey actually were prior the Industrial revolution – did they hell!
As an example go look at the Alaskan Rivers, that's the kind of levels of fish stocks required to support a healthy population of apex predators. In fact there was so many Salmon in British Rivers farmers used to net them out by hand ever year to use as Pig Feed over the winter!
I feel sorry for the ground nesting birds and water fowl, boy are they being systematically annihilated as natural fish stocks are plummeting and the Otters are desperately looking for other food sources.
Well done your tree hugging idiots!
Yes it was a total act of utter stupidity - nobody with any intelligence would re-release an apex predator into an environment without first ensuring the relevant natural food source was also present in abundant numbers too.
It was the Industrial revolution that wiped the Otter population out, as every toxin/poison imaginable was just dumped into water courses wiping out the Otters main food sources (Eels and Salmon)
Did these clowns who re-introduced Otters actually have the intelligence to check prior what the levels of prey actually were prior the Industrial revolution – did they hell!
As an example go look at the Alaskan Rivers, that's the kind of levels of fish stocks required to support a healthy population of apex predators. In fact there was so many Salmon in British Rivers farmers used to net them out by hand ever year to use as Pig Feed over the winter!
I feel sorry for the ground nesting birds and water fowl, boy are they being systematically annihilated as natural fish stocks are plummeting and the Otters are desperately looking for other food sources.
Well done your tree hugging idiots!
In reply to Post #264
https://i.imgur.com/qP13fdv.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/qP13fdv.jpg
more on predation,
the species may not be carp, however that matters not to the otters, or the cormorants.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsRbg6etGyA
the species may not be carp, however that matters not to the otters, or the cormorants.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsRbg6etGyA