Law Red Squirrels

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Law Red Squirrels

Red Squirrels have been protected against intentional acts of damage or disturbance since 1981 under the UK Wildlife and Countryside Act (WACA), Schedule 5. Protection for Red Squirrels and other species was amended by the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act, 2004 to include both intentional and reckless acts (see FCS guidance note ‘Forest operations and wildlife in Scottish forests’).

Subject to certain exceptions, it is now an offence to ‘intentionally or recklessly:

• kill, injure or take (capture) a Red Squirrel;
• damage, destroy or obstruct access to any structure or place which a Red Squirrel uses for shelter or protection; or to disturb a Red Squirrel while it is occupying a structure or place which it uses for that purpose.

Anyone who carries out, or knowingly causes or permits these acts to occur could be committing an offence.

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