Squirrel nutcase

Gove orders rescued babies killed

dation said the new rules will “cause unnecessary suffering”. Therese Coffey, Mr Gove’s junior minister, rejected such pleas in a written answer last week, saying grey squirrel and muntjac “are highly invasive which cause significant impacts on protected species”. However The Wildlife Aid Foundation said: “We’ve just taken in the first orphaned squirrels of the year and they are now in limbo. The law is still in draft form.

“We hope officials will make rescue animals exempt or at least give the animals brought in before the end of March an amnesty. “Despite urgent appeals NOT NATIVE Grey squirrel for clarification on what we do we have been told nothing.

“By the end of March, these youngsters will have just opened their eyes and may have to be put to sleep. It’s a tragedy.

“The number treated and released is tiny compared to the overall population and will not begin to impact numbers.” THOUSANDS of sick and abandoned baby squirrels and deer are facing slaughter.

Tory Environment Secretary Michael Gove is poised to implement an EU law which comes in on March 28, just a day before Brexit.

Under the legislation, animal rescue centres will have to put down squirrels or muntjac deer which have been brought in by the public and are in need of care.

Until now they have had licences allowing them to release both species when caught. But to the dismay of animal groups, these will be revoked under an order designed to slow the spread of invasive species.

Grey squirrels, from North America and muntjac, from China, compete with British wildlife.

A protest petition on the parliamentary website has attracted 45,000 signatories in two weeks. If the number hits 100,000, it will trigger a parliamentary debate.

The Wildlife Aid Foun-

NEW RULE Michael Gove