The law regulates the keeping or release of certain species; it also requires the population control of certain species.

Natural England’s wildlife management non-native and former native species pages of their website has more information on controls on keeping and release. See also our non-native species and protecting wildlife pages for more information.

Natural England record evidence of exotic animals in England. Evidence reported by the general public is a valued contribution to an ongoing surveillance programme. See their exotic animals web page.

The release of certain species is regulated under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Examples of species controlled in this way include all non-native species and certain established species (listed in Schedule 9 (PDF 125 KB) to the 1981 Act) whose release requires control, for example, certain non-native deer species (muntjac, sika and sika hybrids etc.), rhododendron, white tailed sea eagle, wild boar, grey squirrels, American mink and edible dormouse (Glis glis).

Destructive imported animals

The Destructive Imported Animals Act 1932 regulates the keeping and import of certain specified non-indigenous animals that are considered destructive to either our biodiversity or legitimate human activities.  The controls apply to mink, musk rats, grey squirrel, coypu and non-indigenous rabbits.

Rabbits

Under the Pests Act 1954, occupiers of land may be required to keep their land free of rabbits or, if this is impracticable, prevent them from causing damage elsewhere.

• See Natural England’s rabbits web page for management advice, licensing guidance and published reports and statistics.

• More information regarding this species as game can be found on the exploited species and control methods pages.

Rats and mice

The Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 makes local authorities responsible for ensuring their districts are kept, so far as practicable, free from rats and mice.  They in turn have powers to oblige owner or occupiers to control rats and mice on their property.

Details of controlling rats and mice can be found on the Natural England’s wildlife management advice page.

Defra is actively involved in the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW) working group.  This working group has been considering ways to promote welfare improvements in the control of rodents. As a result of these discussions the UFAW has published a document on ‘Guiding principles in the humane control of rats and mice’.  This document provides guidance on the humaneness of current control methods.  The aim is to help inform those using rodent control methods such as rodenticides to make informed choices about which methods they use based on available humaneness data.

• Guiding principles in the humane control of rats and mice

The Rodent Infestation Report 2007 (PDF 50 KB) is the latest in a series on the presence of rats and mice in domestic premises in England, as revealed by the English House Condition Survey (EHCS). The EHCS is a fully representative and random survey of all domestic properties and as such provides an accurate picture of the type and condition of housing in England   Data on rodent presence collected up to 2007 are included in this report.

Injurious weeds

The Weeds Act 1959 dictates that the Secretary of State may serve an enforcement notice on the occupier of land on which injurious weeds are growing, requiring the occupier to take action to prevent the spread of injurious weeds. The Weeds Act specifies five injurious weeds: Common Ragwort, Spear Thistle, Creeping or Field Thistle, Broad Leaved Dock and Curled Dock.

• See Natural England’s injurious weeds and invasive plants page for further information.