Estate stripped of bird kill licences after ‘clear evidence’ of wildlife crime

The regulator curtailed the use of the licences on the Leadhills Estate in South Lanarkshire earlier this week, following Police Scotland’s findings that wildlife crime had taken place on the property.   

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects all wild birds, but general licences can be obtained from the regulator to kill and control them in circumstances such as preventing damage to crops or livestock, preserving public health and preventing the spread of disease. It is illegal to kill or harm the birds without a licence or to do so in a way not set out in a given licence.