In a move to protect wildlife and ensure that endangered species stay protected from poachers, Britain has strengthened its laws through the Habitats Regulations and new Offshore Marine Conservation Regulations. The new law proclaims that the offenders when caught won’t be valid to claim incidental damage as a defense. It specifically states that, the killing, capturing, disturbing, damaging or destroying a breeding or resting place of any protected species will be tried under the law. The new regulations extend the laws to cover protection of marine species, wild birds, and habitats till 200 nautical miles from the shore.
Jon Abbatt of ADAS, which is an environmental advisory company, said:
People need to be aware of these changes. No longer will it prove an adequate defence to suggest that damage to any European protected species or their habitat was accidental, or due to lack of knowledge of the existence of a species on a specific site.
He also emphasized on the fact that an environmental survey on a large scale needs to be undertaken before implying any rules and work. Enlisted below are the species under flora and fauna that have been included in protection.
European Protected Species found in UK
Bats, Horseshoe (all species) Rhinolophidae
Bats, Typical (all species) Vespertilionidae
Common Otter Lutra lutra
Dolphins, porpoises and whales (all species) Cetacea
Dormouse (but not edible or fat dormouse) Muscardinus avellanarius
Great crested newt (or warty) Triturus cristatus
Large Blue Butterfly Maculinea arion
Marine Turtles Caretta caretta, Chelonia mydas, Lepidochelys kempii, Eretmochelys imbricate, Dermochelys coriacea
Natterjack Toad Bufo calamita
Sand Lizard Lacerta agilis
Smooth Snake Coronella austriaca
Sturgeon Acipenser sturio
Wild cat Felis silvestris
European Protected Plants found in UK
Creeping Marshwort
Early Gentian
Fen Orchid
Floating leaved water Plantain
Killarney Fern
Lady’s Slipper
Shore Dock
Slender Naiad
Yellow Marsh Saxifrage
Also, it was announced that the Joint Nature Conservation Committee will consult on the first seven draft sites later this year to get a review of the situation. The list of areas includes North Norfolk Sandbanks and Saturn Reef, Haig Fras, Darwin Mounds, Wyville Thomson Ridge, Braemar Pockmarks, Scanner Pockmark, and Stanton Banks.
The laws also state that for people employed with occupation related to these species will be allowed to carry on their work only if the procedure is really necessary. They would be required to get licenses from authorities in genuine cases.
Source: Telegraph
Image credit: Imagecache2
