Wild Justice challenges gamebird licence

Wild Justice, the campaign group, is challenging an update to a general licence that deals with gamebirds.

GL42 covers the circumstances in which it is legal to shoot wild birds. However, there has been some confusion as to when gamebirds are considered livestock.

To clarify this, Defra updated the licence in January and said that its definition of livestock included, “gamebirds kept in an enclosure, or which are free roaming but remain significantly dependent on the provision of food, water or shelter by a keeper”.

Wild Justice said in a letter sent to Defra: “Any licence authorising killing of wildlife should be clear about when it can be used … GL42 fails that test.”

The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation said in response that: “The NGO will continue to fight any of Wild Justice’s legal challenges which threaten the sustainable management of Britain’s countryside.”

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