Wildlife licensing: comment on a new licence to move water voles for development purposes

Water voles and their burrows are protected by the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), which means they need to be kept safe from harm or injury where development is allowed to take place.

Natural England proposes a new class licence for ecological consultants to allow the movement of water voles from locations in England where legal development activities could disturb, injure or kill them or damage their burrows.

Under the new licence ecological consultants can continue with best practice management whilst reducing the risk of prosecution.