Animal Licences

[rowanalder]

What animal licences can you get eg Great Crested Newt, Bird Ringing.

And how do you go about getting them.

[Ferret]

Hi rowanalder
I hold a licence for Stone Curlew conservation and this is issued by English Nature so I am presuming that those for Great-crested Newt are also, to obtain one you would need to prove that it was needed t aid in conservation or research and would probably have to be mentored (as mine is) by a more experienced researcher/conservationist.

Bird Ringing is run and monitored by the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology). to partake in this activity you would first have to attend basic training courses and to gain and prove competence if you passed this you would receive a training licence that would allow you to ring bird under very strict conditions in the presence of a trainer only when they are satisfied and you have carried out a certain number of birds of a good range of spices using varied methods of capture would you be able to obtain a 'C' licence which would allow you to carry out the capture and ringing on your own, this can take some time a friend of mine has just received his 'C' license and it has taken him nearly 10 years although this can be quicker if you have lots of spare time to commit to training. For more details I suggest you contact the BTO.
Hope this helps Ferret.

[Paul mabbott]

It used to be compulsory to have licenses (licences) for dogs. I think this should be restored and extended to cats and any other large pet species.

[dampflippers]

Bat workers licence.
You would need to join your local bat group, participate in bat surveys, and probably shadow a licenced bat worker for a while- often about a year.

[canis.rufus]

For bats (a standard roost visitor licence) you also need to be competent at handling (and have handled four or five species I think) as well as hand netting. You also need good background knowledge; law/legislation, some biology and so on (it's a while since I did mine). Also, you should have done some visits for Natural England with a bat worker.

My bat group has a pretty organised training scheme, and it takes most people around two years, depending on how much time they put it. It's only worth it if you have a specific reason (i.e. job), or you do a lot with bats (hobby / obsession, a la moi).

Oh, and you also need your "rabies" jabs before you can handle them.

[RogerTheCat]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

It used to be compulsory to have licenses (licences) for dogs. I think this should be restored and extended to cats and any other large pet species.

The licenses for sheepdogs were cheaper than other breeds as they were black and white

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Ferret

Hi rowanalder
I hold a licence for Stone Curlew conservation and this is issued by English Nature so I am presuming that those for Great-crested Newt are also, to obtain one you would need to prove that it was needed t aid in conservation or research and would probably have to be mentored (as mine is) by a more experienced researcher/conservationist.

.

Iv got one of those too - though mine is out of date now , you are broadly correct though its natural england now since the merger with the countryside agency in 07

and in answer to the OP, although NE are the licence issuer the best place to get training is through other interested bodies

the bat conservation trust - and affiliated local bat groups for bats

your local wildlife trust - for newts and water voles (and if appropriate dormice)

BTO or local rspb sites for bird ringing.

It is also worth tapping up local ecological consultants who are often happy to mentor you for licences in return for some unpaid assistance on surveys.

(and forget the other specialist licences like stone curlew - you arent going to get them on spec , as they are only issued to those working in the field - I got mine while with NWT in '99 )

[Ferret]

Thanks for the correction eeyore, never can seem to keep up with name changes.

Ferret