- Enforced by
- NatureScot
- Status
- In Force
- Penalty ceiling
- Prosecution 8 of 10 obligations carry a criminal penalty. 1 carries different penalties and 1 has no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.
Does it bind you?
Business-side roles with duties under this instrument.
Plus 1 duty on the regulator, Crown ministers and public bodies — folded into the section list below.
Other Acts binding the same actors
If a role above is yours, these are the other instruments that most often bind it.
Any Person — also bound by 2684 other Acts
Director or Officer — also bound by 482 other Acts
What it requires
Sections creating concrete business duties or carrying penalties, grouped as the instrument is structured. Titles link to the source text — blue means you’re leaving for legislation.gov.uk.
Defined expressions
0 of 1 section shown1 other section in this Part — procedural and definitional
Wildlife under the 1981 Act
7 of 24 sections shown- Kill, injure or take wild animal during close seasonAny Person
- Kill, injure or take protected wild hares or rabbits without permissionAny Person
- Possess, sell or advertise wild hares/rabbits taken unlawfullyAny Person
- Breach species control orderAny Person
- Knowingly cause or permit certain wildlife offencesAny Person
- Partners/managers liable for wildlife offences they consented to or neglectedAny Person
- Be liable for wild bird offence committed by your employee, agent or contractorAny Person
17 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
Deer
1 of 7 sections shown- Consent to or neglect an offence by your businessDirector or Officer
6 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
Other wildlife etc.
0 of 3 sections shown3 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
Biodiversity
1 of 1 section shownOther duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Public bodies must publish biodiversity reports within 3 yearsCrown / Minister / Government department
Sites of special scientific interest
1 of 4 sections shown- Fail to comply with a restoration noticeAny Person
Unlimited fine
3 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
General
0 of 3 sections shown3 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
Help complying
Guvnor’s practical routes through this instrument.
Development affecting protected species in Scotland
Learning path for developers whose projects may affect protected species in Scotland. Covers the legal framework, ecology surveys, NatureScot species licensing, offences …
Farming on SSSI land in Scotland
A learning path for Scottish farmers and land managers with SSSI-designated land - understand your conservation obligations, manage deer and muirburn lawfully, …
Responding to NatureScot enforcement action
What to do if NatureScot takes enforcement action against your business for a wildlife or habitat offence in Scotland. Covers species offences, …
Apply for a species licence from NatureScot
If work in Scotland could disturb, harm or kill a protected species, or damage a breeding site or resting place, you need …
Deer management obligations in Scotland
If you manage land in Scotland with wild deer on it, the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996 requires you to prevent deer damaging …
Understanding nature conservation law in Scotland
Scotland's nature conservation law is devolved and in places stricter than England's: species offences can be committed recklessly, not just deliberately. NatureScot …
Wildlife management and muirburn licensing in Scotland
The Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024 bans glue traps, replaces snares with regulated cable restraints and will require a NatureScot …
3 more guides that reference this instrument
Duty extraction and severity labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the instrument, not the instrument itself. Always verify against the linked source text.