Wales to improve protection for seals and hares
WAWC has supported Welsh Government proposals for a new offence of intentionally or recklessly disturbing seals in Wales, and for a statutory close season to protect brown hares during their breeding season.
The WAWC consultation response agrees with the Welsh Government that disturbance of seals, whether reckless, accidental or intentional, represents a substantial threat to the animals’ welfare. Reports from Welsh wildlife groups suggest that members of the public are regularly quite careless as to the impact of their own proximity to seals or their actions or those of their dogs, despite obvious signals of distress in the animals. Animals fleeing disturbance can suffer injury in the process or leave vulnerable pups behind. We also agreed that the offence should apply to disturbance wherever it occurs, rather than only at designated haul-outs, as is the case in Scotland.
With regard to the proposal for a close season for brown hares, WAWC notes that most shooting of brown hares in Wales takes place in February and March, when females are pregnant or nursing dependent young, or both. It is an ethical and welfare anomaly that the peak time of hunting hares in February coincides with the onset of reproductive activity. The shooting of lactating hares at this time leads to the orphaning and death from starvation of dependent young, which is a serious welfare issue.
An assessment of the impact of hunting practices found that hunting in February was associated with both poor welfare and poor population recovery outcomes for this widespread but declining species. Our response outlined the severe impacts of starvation on orphaned leverets, likely to be exacerbated by hypothermia and dehydration and the distress of being separated from their dam before weaning.
The consultation, which closed yesterday (19 October), is intended to form "a focused first stage of a wider programme of work to improve the accessibility and coherence of wildlife legislation in Wales” - a development that WAWC strongly welcomes.