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Many wildlife conservation efforts in the UK are held together
by valuable legislation. For ponds, these are outlined below.
Enjoying your wildlife pond
Ponds, wildlife and the law:
30
Moving plants and animals between
ponds:
You should always get permission
from any pond-owner should you intend
to transfer species between ponds.
Movement of some species, if protected
or considered damaging to native wildlife,
is illegal under The Wildlife & Countryside
Act 1981. Transferring fish and some
amphibians may also require a licence or
consent. Seek advice at every opportunity
from the Environment Agency, Natural
England, the Countryside Council for
Wales or Scottish Natural Heritage.
Destroying ponds:
If you know of a pond
that is going to be filled in, and you have
concerns about this process you could
ask someone else with a pond
whether they are willing to accept stock. If
possible, movements should not be over
one mile away. Animals should never be
released onto a nature reserve or a public
place without consent. Release of animals
in an unauthorised place could make
you liable for prosecution under the The
Abandonment of Animals Act (1960).
Non-native animals and plants:
The
release of non-native animals into the
wild in the UK is against the law. For pond
species this includes red-earred terrapin
and the North American bullfrog.
Laws relating to release of non-native
plants are currently more lax. However,
we urge the public to be extra vigilant and
discourage the purchasing or movement
of non-native or hybrid plant species. In
the past, dumping excess pond vegetation
in waterways has been common and very
damaging.