Legal obligations to animals on the Endangered Animals list.

[Digifrog]

Dear WAB

I have a question regarding legal obligations towards animals that are on the endangered list. I am specifically speaking of the humble hedgehog.

I cycle to work, which takes me about 10 minutes and I would say on average I see one dead hedgehog for every 2 weeks. What concerns me is that is always nearly on the same part of the road (about a 50 yard stretch from the roundabout to my turning off).

Now that this sweet animal has been added to the endangered list, the addage, "well you can't really do anything about it", I find hard to swallow. Now that it is on the list aren't 'bodies' or councils abliged TO DO something about it??

Scott

[wild flower]

It is certainly extremely sad that so much wildlife is killed on our roads, I live in the countryside and I can only describe some of the scenes as carnage.

The 'humble hedgehog' is now a biodiversity action plan species although unless it is a priority species it is not automatically afforded legal protection (I think I am correct in saying that but perhaps others are more clear). It is protected under the Wild Mammals Act and under the Wildlife and Countryside Act making it illegal to trap or kill without a licence.

All that said, driving is a legal activity and assuming you have tax and are driving at the speed limit killing a hedgehog on the road would be "an incidental result of an otherwise lawful activity" - legal jargon not my own words.

So I would say there is little that can be done. However it would be great to try and encourage your local authority or parish council to put up signs similar to the 'toad crossing' signs for areas that are know hotspots for wildlife kills. At least so people are alerted at the appropriate time of year - and I am sure many would slow down.

Alternatively less cars and less driving would have a major beneficial impact on all wildlife-although may be less easy to achieve than a road sign!

[Adam Cheeseman]

Only in so far as their own operations go (Section 40 of the NERC Act 2007). I don't think they would be pulled up for roadkill victims, but you might want to sugest a tunnel for the hogs to cross through. I wouldn't hold my breath though.

Cheers,

Adam