Breaking
Derbyshire developer who bulldozed bungalow knowing it was home to bats avoids jail
Three birds of prey found dead in Staffordshire Moorlands
Appeal for information after injured buzzard found near Kirkby Malzeard in North Yorkshire
Illicit wildlife products 'slipping through the net'
Suspended sentence for seafood salesman who smuggled £53m worth of live eels out of UK
Somerset campsite owner jailed after he deliberately shot dead an otter trapped in a fishing net
Seafood salesman convicted of eelegally smuggling £53million worth of European eels through the UK
Siamese crocodile skulls found in raids by Kent police
Avon & Somerset appoint new Wildlife Crime Officer
Cheltenham antiques dealer sentenced for trading illegally in elephant tusks and walrus ivory
Maidstone men jailed after deer stabbed repeatedly in the throat and animal cruelty
Welsh man handed suspended jail term after interfering with badger sett
Suspected hare courser causes high-speed police chase in Cambridgeshire
Dorset wildlife crime officer recognised in New Year Honours list
Forensic science techniques used in battle against wildlife crime across Scotland
Queen’s Anniversary Prize for the work of the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology
Walsall owl breeder told his good character saved him from prison sentence
Pinpointing rural & wildlife crime with what3words
Illegal trade in endangered species - trial date set in Lancashire
Seasonal Considerations
| Month | Season | Factors to Consider |
| January | Winter | Will eat least during this period |
| February | Winter | Will eat least during this period |
| March | Spring | Main breeding season |
| April | Spring | Cubs will emerge from the sett |
| May | Spring | Cubs will emerge from the sett |
| June | Summer | Drier months – likely to leave sett to find food |
| July | Summer | Drier months – likely to leave sett to find food |
| August | Summer | Drier months – likely to leave sett to find food |
| September | Autumn | Will eat most during this period |
| October | Autumn | Will eat most during this period |
| November | Autumn | Will eat most during this period |
| December | Winter | Will eat least during this period |
| Month | Season | Factors to Consider |
| January | Winter | Hibernating |
| February | Winter | Hibernating but some may leave the roost |
| March | Spring | Will begin to emerge |
| April | Spring | Out of hibernation |
| May | Spring | Fully active and feeding |
| June | Summer | Females give birth to single pups |
| July | Summer | Young pups learn to fly |
| August | Summer | Summer maternity colonies begin to disperse |
| September | Autumn | Mating season |
| October | Autumn | More mating and seek suitable hibernation sites |
| November | Autumn | Some begin to hibernate |
| December | Winter | Hibernating |
| Month | Season | Factors to consider |
| January | Winter | Attach themselves to the gills of fish and remain as a parasite until spring |
| February | Winter | Attach themselves to the gills of fish and remain as a parasite until spring |
| March | Spring | The young and fully developed mussels drop off the fish host |
| April | Spring | The young and fully developed mussels drop off the fish host |
| May | Spring | The young and fully developed mussels drop off the fish host |
| June | Summer | Criminal activity more like as water is shallow |
| July | Summer | Criminal activity more like as water is shallow |
| August | Summer | Criminal activity more like as water is shallow |
| September | Autumn | Criminal activity more like as water is shallow |
| October | Autumn | Attach themselves to the gills of fish and remain as a parasite until spring |
| November | Autumn | Attach themselves to the gills of fish and remain as a parasite until spring |
| December | Winter | Attach themselves to the gills of fish and remain as a parasite until spring |
| Month | Season | Factors to Consider |
| January | Winter | Least risk, though some spring fish around. (Salmon fishing season January – November, depending on river) |
| February | Winter | Least risk, though some spring fish around |
| March | Spring | Moderate risk, with more spring salmon entering rivers |
| April | Spring | Moderate risk. Spring run of salmon often a target. |
| May | Spring | Moderate risk. Spring run of salmon remain a target. |
| June | Summer | Greatest risk, as salmon numbers can build up in pools at times of low water |
| July | Summer | Greatest risk, as salmon numbers can build up in pools at times of low water |
| August | Summer | Greatest risk, as salmon numbers can build up in pools at times of low water |
| September | Autumn | Greatest risk, as salmon numbers can build up in pools at times of low water, especially in Scottish Rivers |
| October | Autumn | Moderate risk |
| November | Autumn | Least risk, except where there may be a late salmon run of lower water (River Almond Perthshire) |
| December | Winter | Least risk |
| Month | Season | Factors to Consider |
| January | Winter | Highest risk especially for red and roe deer, despite being the close season for females of both species |
| February | Winter | Highest risk especially for red and roe deer. Pregnant female roe especially vulnerable, feeding into daylight hours. |
| March | Spring | Least risk posed during late spring to summer, though pregnant female roe still vulnerable, feeding into daylight hours. |
| April | Spring | Least risk posed during late spring to summer |
| May | Spring | Least risk posed during late spring to summer |
| June | Summer | Least risk posed during late spring to summer |
| July | Summer | Red deer and sika stags can legally be shot during this period |
| August | Summer | Red deer and sika stags can legally be shot during this period |
| September | Autumn | Red deer and sika stags can legally be shot during this period |
| October | Autumn | Red deer and sika stags can legally be shot up to 20th October |
| November | Autumn | Highest risk especially for red and roe deer |
| December | Winter | Highest risk especially for red and roe deer |
| Month | Season | Factors to consider |
| January | Winter | Moderate coursing risk, which can be limited by hard frost |
| February | Winter | Moderate coursing risk, which can be limited by hard frost. Breeding season begins. (Brown hares protected in Scotland 1 Feb – 30 Sept) |
| March | Spring | High coursing risk. Litters born |
| April | Spring | High coursing risk |
| May | Spring | Moderate coursing risk, curtailed by height of crops |
| June | Summer | Moderate coursing risk, mostly restricted to cut silage fields and young pea crops. |
| July | Summer | Moderate coursing risk, mostly restricted to cut silage and hay fields. |
| August | Summer | High coursing risk. Harvest beginning, with more exposed fields |
| September | Autumn | High coursing risk, with crops cut and new crops being sown |
| October | Autumn | High coursing risk, with crops cut and new crops being sown |
| November | Autumn | High coursing risk, with crops cut and new crops being sown |
| December | Winter | Moderate coursing risk, with open fields though risk of hard frost |
Raptors – Shooting and Traps
| Month | Season | Factors to Consider | Additional Information |
| January | Winter | Moderate risk. Shooting season but a few corvid traps in operation | Some species, such as the Hen Harrier, winter on lowland coastal areas and have been targeted during Autumn/winter in these areas. Other Species such as Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Goshawk and Tawny Owl may be targeted ahead of and coincident with Pheasant/Partridge rearing seasons. Targeting can include shooting, trapping, snaring and poisoning in and around rearing pens, both ahead of, and when they are occupied by poults. |
| February | Winter | Greatest risk. Shooting season ended and some corvid traps beginning to be used | |
| March | Spring | Greatest risk in line with the nesting season and use of corvid traps | |
| April | Spring | Greatest risk in line with the nesting season and use of corvid traps | |
| May | Spring | Greatest risk in line with the nesting season and use of corvid traps | |
| June | Summer | Moderate risk – shooting newly-fledged raptors and continuing use of traps for rooks/jackdaws | |
| July | Summer | Moderate risk | |
| August | Summer | Greatest risk, as young game birds released and grouse shooting starts on the 12th August | |
| September | Autumn | Greatest risk, in protection of young game birds. Partridge shooting and wildfowling starts | |
| October | Autumn | Moderate risk. Pheasant shooting starts | |
| November | Autumn | Moderate risk | |
| December | Winter | Moderate risk |
Raptors – Poisoning
| Month | Season | Factors to Consider |
| January | Winter | Moderate risk, though baits in times of deep snow are seldom found |
| February | Winter | High risk, as shooting finished and pest control starts |
| March | Spring | High risk, as pest control continues |
| April | Spring | High risk, as pest control continues |
| May | Spring | Moderate risk, as some pesticides work less well as weather warms up |
| June | Summer | Moderate risk |
| July | Summer | Low risk |
| August | Summer | Moderate risk in advance of grouse shooting starting |
| September | Autumn | Low risk |
| October | Autumn | Low risk |
| November | Autumn | Low risk |
| December | Winter | Low risk |
Raptors – Nest Destruction
| Month | Season | Factors to Consider | Additional Information |
| January | Winter | Least risk | Persecution of raptors can take place at any time of the year, but can be particularly prevalent from March to August. The main breeding season for raptors is from April onwards, but there are several birds, such as Golden Eagles that nest earlier. Most raptors also start making their territories earlier and can be at risk of disturbance at this time. Intelligence suggests that Hen Harriers are regularly disturbed before they actually nest and lay eggs. They often winter on lowland coastal areas and have been targeted there. |
| February | Winter | Least risk | |
| March | Spring | Overall nesting season | |
| April | Spring | Overall nesting season | |
| May | Spring | Overall nesting season | |
| June | Summer | Overall nesting season | |
| July | Summer | Overall nesting season | |
| August | Summer | Least risk | |
| September | Autumn | Least risk | |
| October | Autumn | Least risk | |
| November | Autumn | Least risk | |
| December | Winter | Least risk |