Predator management for nature recovery
The targeted management of predators is an important public service carried out by shooters to support farming and nature recovery. Working ethically and effectively is at the core of getting the results needed. Explore our case studies and guidance on predator control.
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Profiling best practice
Helping breeding waders around Lough Erne, Northern Ireland
Members of Lough Erne Wildfowlers’ Council are working with local farmers on predator management and habitat provision to increase the numbers of breeding snipe, curlew, lapwing, redshank and common sandpiper.
Redshank and avocet recovery in Northwest England
Land managed by The Lytham & District Wildfowlers’ Association supports the highest numbers of breeding redshank and avocet in the UK, thanks to a combination of predator control and habitat management.
Predator control and nature recovery – what does the science say?
Read our snapshot of current research and knowledge of how lethal and non-lethal predator control can contribute to nature recovery targets.
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BASC’s pest and predator advice hub gives you access to a wealth of advice. Below are three core must-reads for anyone undertaking pest and predator control.
The BASC Wildlife Fund, underpinned by expertise provided by BASC staff, supported the development of advice from the Working for Waders partnership. The guidance provides a focus on protecting breeding waders such as curlew, lapwing, oystercatcher, redshank and golden plover.
Information gathering
Collecting information on what you have seen in addition to what you have culled is very important in any species management programme. This includes predators and their prey.
Keep a log – ideally digitally – of this information whenever you visit a site. Note what you see as well as what you cull. It gives you a much rounder picture of what is happening.
There are apps online for recording control as well as BASC’s Green Shoots Mapping site. Focused conservation projects typically have their own recoding requirements that can capture a great deal of information. However, we’ve outline below the minimum you should collect for your own use:
- date
- location
- predator species and number seen
- number taken
- where practical to assess, details of sex and age
- any additional notes
You should also track prey species of predators to see how they are doing. This comes naturally with quarry species, but keeping a record of the non-quarry species is vital too. These will likely be those that are vulnerable to the predators you are controlling, and data gathering is hugely valuable to provide you with hard evidence to work from. Brought together, this information will help you determine if your level of control is correct.
Contact us for support if you need further advice.
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Shooting and trapping
Find out everything you need to know about what pests and predators you can control and how.
The effects of predator control on nature recovery in the UK
This evidence review highlights the role of predator control in supporting the recovery of vulnerable species and identifies key areas that require further research.
The use of a dog below ground in England and Wales
The Hunting Act 2004 prohibits all hunting of wild mammals with dogs in England and Wales, except where it is carried out in accordance with one of the tightly drawn exemptions, which allow for certain necessary pest control and other activities to be undertaken, subject to strict conditions.