Identify and report invasive non-native species
Knowing where invasive non-native species are at large is the first step to dealing with them.
You don’t need to be an expert to recognise many non-native species.
To get started:
- visit the GB Non-native Species Secretariat (NNSS) website – for identification sheets and photos of more than 50 non-native species found in Great Britain
- visit Scotland’s Environment Website to find out which non-native species to look out for and how to submit a record
Record a sighting of a non-native species
- Take a photo – or write down a detailed description.
- Identify the location – ideally to within 100m of the sighting of the non-native species.
- Note the date and roughly how many (or how much) of the non-native species you saw.
Report a priority non-native species
‘Prevention priority species’ are non-native species that aren’t yet established in Scotland, but are known to be highly invasive and are likely to arrive here soon. View the latest species alerts on the NNSS website.
By law, you must report a sighting on your land of:
- muntjac deer
- coypu
- musk rat
- exotic rabbit (i.e. not European rabbit)
You should report either type of sighting above promptly either by:
Telephone: 01463 725000
Email: [email protected]
Report other non-native species
Records of other non-native species can help us to better understand species distribution and thus support better management.
In particular, be sure to report sightings of non-native species of concern in Scotland.
You can submit your records of species of concern:
- by completing the INNS reporting form
- by contacting us on the phone number or email address above.
An expert will verify your sighting. Including a good quality photo or description will speed up this process. You may be asked for more details about the sighting.
All records will be made publicly available via NBN Atlas Scotland.
Find out more
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