Shrews and licensing
You must be licensed if you plan to trap shrews for scientific, research or educational purposes or may accidentally do so during a survey.
Shrews receive partial protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). So it’s an offence to intentionally or recklessly trap shrews.
You should apply to us for a licence if you:
- live-trap small mammals for survey or monitoring purposes and there’s an unavoidable risk that you will catch shrews
- intend to trap shrews for scientific, research or educational purposes
To apply for a licence, email [email protected].
You should include:
- your name, address and telephone number
- full details of your project – covering what and who will be involved, and where and when
- a completed licence application reference form (if applicable)
Read about Shrews: Trapping Guidelines
Licence changes and renewals
You should get in touch if you wish to amend a licence. But check your licence conditions first: you may be able to appoint agents and assistants without having to get them named on your licence.
Find out about adding persons to a licence.
You must also remember to contact us to renew your licence. Licences aren’t renewed automatically.
Find out more
Contact
If you already have a licence number, include it in the subject line of your email, or have it to hand when you call.
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