Invasive non-native (alien) animal species: rules in England and Wales
What you need to do if you find, own or look after a listed invasive non-native (alien) animal in England and Wales.
Applies to England and Wales
What you need to do if you find, own or look after a listed invasive non-native (alien) animal.
There are 30 species of invasive non-native (alien) animal that are listed as of concern because of their:
- invasiveness
- ability to establish in several nations across Europe
They cause severe problems for native animals and the environment.
You should be aware that the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (WCA) bans the release into the wild of any animal that is not:
- resident in Great Britain
- a regular visitor to Great Britain in the wild
The WCA lists more native and non-native animals this ban applies to.
Guidance is available on the rules you must follow under the WCA.
Restrictions on invasive alien animals
You must follow strict laws:
- when owning or looking after them
- if you find one
- when selling or displaying them as part of your business
You must not do any of the following:
- keep them in your house, garden or business
- sell them to other people
- exchange them for goods
- release them into the environment
- let them breed or escape
- import them into the UK
- transport them within the UK
- export them to other countries
These rules apply to any live animals and any part that might reproduce, such as eggs that will hatch.
Exemptions
You might be exempt from some restrictions if you:
- owned one as a pet before the animal was listed
- have a permit or licence to keep them in certain circumstances, such as research or conservation
- are still within the time limits to sell or transfer existing stock
List of invasive non-native (alien) animals
Check this list to find out which animals are widely and non-widely spread, and when they were listed.
Widely spread
| Common name | Scientific name | When it was listed |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese mitten crab | Eriocheir sinensis | 3 August 2016 |
| Egyptian goose | Alopochen aegyptiacus | 2 August 2017 |
| Grey squirrel | Sciurus carolinensis | 3 August 2016 |
| Muntjac deer | Muntiacus reevesi | 3 August 2016 |
| Signal crayfish | Pacifastacus leniusculus | 3 August 2016 |
| Terrapins - all subspecies including red-eared slider, yellow-bellied slider, Cumberland slider and common slider | Trachemys scripta | 3 August 2016 |
Non-widely spread
| Common name | Scientific name | When it was listed |
|---|---|---|
| Asian hornet | Vespa velutina nigrithorax | 3 August 2016 |
| Chinese sleeper/Amur sleeper | Percottus glenii | 3 August 2016 |
| Coati | Nasua nasua | 3 August 2016 |
| Common myna | Acridotheres tristis | 15 August 2019 |
| Coypu | Myocastor coypus | 3 August 2016 |
| Fox squirrel | Sciurus niger | 3 August 2016 |
| Indian house crow | Corvus splendens | 3 August 2016 |
| Marbled crayfish | Procambarus fallax f. virginalis (Procambarus virginalis) | 3 August 2016 |
| Muskrat | Ondatra zibethicus | 2 August 2017 |
| New Zealand flatworm | Arthurdendyus triangulatus | 15 August 2019 |
| North American bullfrog | Lithobates (Rana) catesbeianus | 3 August 2016 |
| Pallas’s squirrel | Callosciurus erythraeus | 3 August 2016 |
| Pumpkinseed | Lepomis gibbosus | 15 August 2019 |
| Raccoon | Procyon lotor | 3 August 2016 |
| Raccoon dog | Nyctereutes procyonoides | 2 February 2019 |
| Red swamp crayfish | Procambarus clarkii | 3 August 2016 |
| Ruddy duck | Oxyura jamaicensis | 3 August 2016 |
| Sacred ibis | Threskiornis aethiopicus | 3 August 2016 |
| Siberian chipmunk | Tamias sibiricus | 3 August 2016 |
| Small Asian mongoose / Javan mongoose | Herpestes javanicus | 3 August 2016 |
| Spiny-cheek crayfish | Orconectes limosus (Faxonius limosus) | 3 August 2016 |
| Striped eel catfish | Plotosus lineatus | 15 August 2019 |
| Topmouth gudgeon (also known as stone moroko) | Pseudorasbora parva | 3 August 2016 |
| Virile crayfish | Orconectes virilis (Faxonius virilis) | 3 August 2016 |
Keeping as pets (‘companion animals’)
If you kept one of these animals as a pet in the UK before it was listed, you can keep it for the rest of its life without a permit or licence as long as all the following apply:
- you keep it as a pet and not for any business reason
- you keep it in a ‘contained holding’ that it cannot escape from, for example, a cage or aquarium
- you do not let it breed
- you do not sell or exchange it
If you got the animal after it was listed without realising it’s an offence, you must contact one of the following for guidance:
- Natural England, if you’re in England
- Natural Resources Wales, if you’re in Wales
- the wildlife crime officer at your local police force
You must not release your pet into the wild. You may be prosecuted if you do this.
Preventing your pet from breeding
You must not allow your pet to breed.
You could be prosecuted or fined if you allow this. Your animal could also be confiscated.
You do not have to spay or neuter your pet but you can choose to do this to stop it breeding.
Identifying your pet
You should microchip your pet.
A microchip will help you find your pet if it escapes. It’s also evidence of how long you’ve owned your pet.
If you cannot microchip your pet, try to mark or identify the listed animal using humane methods.
Walking your pet
You must not take your pet out for walks, even on a lead. Your pet must stay in a contained holding at your home.
Transporting your pet
You can transport your animal, for example if you need to move house or take it to a vet.
When you transport it, you must keep it in a contained holding, such as a pet carrier, to make sure it cannot escape.
Pet boarding
You can take your animal to pet boarding or to a friend’s house, as long as:
- you keep it under control when transporting it
- it cannot escape
The person looking after it must keep your animal in a contained holding and not allow it to escape or breed. They do not need a licence to look after your pet on a temporary basis.
Rescue centres
If you run a rescue centre, you can keep a listed invasive alien animal for up to 6 weeks without a permit or licence.
If you want to keep a listed animal in a rescue centre for longer than 6 weeks, you’ll need to get a licence.
You must:
- keep it in a contained holding
- stop it from escaping or breeding
If the animal was a pet before it came to your rescue centre, it can be rehomed as a pet.
Rehoming a pet
You can give the animal to someone else, but you cannot sell or exchange it for money or other goods.
You can take an animal that has been kept as a pet to a rescue centre where they can:
- keep it for the rest of its life
- rehome it as a pet with a new owner
If the animal is rehomed by an individual or by a rescue centre, you must give the new owner evidence that the animal was a pet before it was listed. This is so they can prove the animal can be kept without breaking the law.
Evidence could be:
- a transfer of ownership form signed and dated by the previous owner, confirming the animals date of birth and when they took ownership
- a receipt showing the date the animal was bought
- a signed statement from a vet or copy of your vet records, with the date the animal was registered at the vets
- a breeding certificate, showing the date of birth
- a microchip certificate, showing a date before the animal was listed
- copies of pet insurance paperwork, showing a date before the animal was listed
- adoption paperwork, showing the date the animal was adopted
Once the animal is rehomed, the new owner can keep it as a pet and without a licence.
You can also take the animal to a vet to be put to sleep.
You must not release the animal into the wild.
If the animal was acquired after the date it was listed, you must contact one of the following for guidance:
- Natural England, if you’re in England
- Natural Resources Wales, if you’re in Wales
- the wildlife crime officer at your local police force
If you find a listed invasive alien animal in the wild or on your land
If you find a non-widely spread animal on your land or in the wild, you must report it to the non-native species secretariat.
If you find a widely spread animal, you do not have to take any action.
Releasing an accidentally restrained animal
If an animal has been accidentally caught, for example if it’s trapped in wire netting, you can release it. This is not considered an intentional release.
You should not take listed animals out of the wild.
If you’ve already taken an animal out of the wild, for example, to a vet or to keep it yourself, you must not release it back into the wild. This would be an offence. You must take it to a facility with a licence or permit to keep it.
If you work in wildlife management
If you’re controlling a wildlife population using humane measures, such as setting traps, then you must be trained and equipped to set traps properly.
You should take reasonable steps to avoid capturing non-targeted animals. If you catch a listed invasive alien animal and have the correct training and equipment, you should humanely kill the animal if possible.
You can also take it to a facility with a licence or permit.
Monitoring and research
If you accidentally catch a listed invasive alien animal during ringing or monitoring operations of other animals, you will not have committed an offence if you immediately release it.
You can also take it to a facility with a licence or permit.
Find a facility with a licence or permit
To find a facility, contact any of the following:
- Natural England, if you’re in England
- Natural Resources Wales, if you’re in Wales
- Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)
Animal retailers
You must not sell listed invasive alien animal species except in limited circumstances.
Existing stock
If you have animals in stock from before they were listed, you have 12 months from the time they were listed to sell the animal to a member of the public.
A member of the public can buy one of these animals from you and keep it until the end of its natural life without a permit or licence as long as they make sure it:
- is kept in a contained holding, such as a cage
- cannot breed
- cannot escape
You should keep proof of purchase showing the date you bought the animal. You must then pass this on to the new owner.
You have 24 months from the time the animal was listed to sell or transfer to a facility that has the correct permit or licence. It’s your responsibility to make sure the new owner has the correct permit or licence.
You can also contact a vet to put an animal to sleep.
Stock outside the time limits
If you have stock of a listed animal and you’re outside the 12 or 24 month time limits, contact Natural England or Natural Resources Wales for guidance.
Stock that you got without realising it was a listed animal
You cannot legally keep these animals. You can only try to rehome them at facilities that have the correct permit or licence, where they can be kept until the end of their lives. Contact Natural England or Natural Resources Wales for guidance.
You can also contact a vet to put an animal to sleep.
You must not release these animals into the wild.
Animal encounter businesses
You must not use listed animals in shows or exhibitions that allow the public to interact with them.
You cannot keep an encounter animal as a pet if:
- the animal has been previously kept for commercial reasons
- you got the animal after it was listed
You can email Natural England or Natural Resources Wales for advice on what to do if you own listed animals that you can no longer use as part of your animal encounter business.
Zoos and aquariums
Zoos and aquariums can only keep listed invasive alien animals if they’re used for:
- ‘ex-situ conservation’ (caring for animals outside their natural habitat under controlled conditions)
- research
You’ll need a permit to keep listed animals for either of these reasons.
In your application for a permit, you’ll need to show how you plan to use the animals for research or conservation.
You must include a full list of all invasive alien animal species in your collection when you apply.
You must not let the animals breed. You do not have to sterilise an invasive alien animal, although you can do this to stop breeding.
You must not use these animals in:
- shows
- exhibitions
- encounter experiences that allow the public to interact with the animals
Identifying animals
You must mark or identify the listed animal using humane methods.
You should microchip the animals. If you cannot microchip an animal, use ringing or shell marking instead.
Moving between zoos
You can transfer these animals between different zoos. Both zoos will need permits in place before transferring the animal.
Sending to a zoo abroad
If you’re sending an animal to a zoo outside the UK, contact the importing country before you export.
They may have their own rules you’ll need to follow. They may also refuse the consignment.
If they do allow you to export to their country, you must apply for a permit before you can transport the animal.
Using invasive alien animals as feed
If you currently use listed animals as feed, such as crayfish, you can continue to do this but the animals must be bought and transported as a dead feed.
You must not buy live listed animals as feed. If your zoo animals need a live feed, you’ll need to find unlisted animals to use.
Research or educational establishments
If you’re a university or college that keeps these animals, you’ll need a permit. You should apply under the research category.
Follow the same rules as zoos when keeping or moving your animals.
Crayfish trappers and fishing
There are 5 species of crayfish and 1 species of crab that are listed as alien invasive animal species.
| Common name | Scientific name | When it was listed |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese mitten crab | Eriocheir sinensis | 3 August 2016 |
| Marbled crayfish | Pracambarus fallax f. virginalis | 3 August 2016 |
| Red swamp crayfish | Procambarus clarkii | 3 August 2016 |
| Signal crayfish | Pacifastacus leniusculus | 3 August 2016 |
| Spiny-cheek crayfish | Orconectes limosus | 3 August 2016 |
| Virile crayfish | Orconectes virilis | 3 August 2016 |
Authorisation to trap
You need permission to put a trap in the water to catch crayfish.
Once you’ve got permission, you can take animals that you humanely kill on the riverbank away, for example to consume at home.
You must not take live animals away from the riverbank. You must kill them where you caught them. However, there are 3 exceptions to this, if you:
- have a licence, for example, to keep live crayfish for commercial processing on your premises in England
- have a permit to keep live animals for research or conservation in England and Wales
- have a licence to manage widely spread animals in England or Wales
Bycatch (accidental capture)
If you accidentally catch a listed crayfish or crab and can humanely kill it, you should do so. You must not take it home live.
If you cannot kill it humanely, you can release it immediately back where you caught it. Report when you’ve done this on IRecord so it can be logged and added to national databases to:
- protect endangered native animals
- be used in management activities
You must not return a listed animal caught as bycatch to any other place than where you caught it.
If you’re not sure if it’s a listed species of crayfish or crab, you should return it alive to the place you caught it. This is so you do not accidentally kill native endangered animals.
Permits
You can get a permit for:
- research
- ‘ex situ conservation’ (caring for animals outside their natural habitat under controlled conditions)
- scientific production (for use of these animals in medicinal products for advancement of human health)
You can only get a permit if you’re working in an enclosed environment, such as a zoo or research establishment.
How to get a permit
You must complete an application and send it to APHA.
If you want to use listed species for other activities in exceptional cases for reasons of public interest, including social and economic reasons, you must apply for a permit under article 35(1)(c).
Licences
Find out which licence you may need depending on if you’re in England or Wales.
If you’re in England
You can get a licence to carry out the following with listed invasive animals:
- move or keep them in captivity until the end of their natural life (IAS A01)
- manage or control them (IAS A02)
- temporary commercial use of an invasive alien species as part of a management measure (IAS A02)
When to contact Natural England
Contact Natural England:
- for queries about licences to manage, control, move or keep these animals in captivity
- to report a licence offence
- for guidance if you got an animal after it was listed, in England
Telephone: 020 8026 1089
If you’re in Wales
You can get a licence to carry out the following:
- keep a listed animal in a facility until the end of its natural life, as well as activities such as transporting
- manage or control a listed animal
When to contact Natural Resources Wales
Contact Natural Resources Wales:
- for queries about licences for to manage, control, move or keep these animals in captivity
- to report a licence offence
- for guidance if you got an animal after it was listed, in Wales
Telephone: 03000 653000
Penalties for breaking the law
Different penalties apply depending on the seriousness of the offence.
You may:
- get a warning
- be served with a notice, for example a compliance or restoration notice, where you must take steps to fix damage
- be fined
- be sent to prison for a maximum of 3 months for a summary offence or 2 years for an indictable offence
In addition, if you’ve got a permit or licence and commit an offence, you may:
- lose your permit or licence
- not be allowed to get another one for up to 5 years
Report a permit offence or ask for guidance
Contact the APHA permit team:
- for information about permits for research or conservation
- to report a permit offence
Telephone: 03000 200 301
Email: zooandinvasive@apha.gov.uk
Contact the GB Non-native Species Inspectorate for advice on the import of invasive non-native species:
Email: nnsi@apha.gov.uk
Report a licence offence or ask for guidance
If you’re in England
Contact Natural England:
- for queries about licences to manage, control, move or keep these species in captivity
- to report a licence offence
- for guidance if you got an animal after it was listed, in England
Telephone: 020 8026 1089
If you’re in Wales
Contact Natural Resources Wales:
- for queries about licences to manage, control, move or keep these animals in captivity
- to report a licence offence
- for guidance if you got an animal after it was listed, in Wales
Telephone: 03000 653000
Report listed animals for sale or other offences
Contact the GB Non-native Species Inspectorate: nnsi@apha.gov.uk
You can also contact your local police force and ask for a wildlife crime officer.
Last updated 20 September 2022 + show all updates
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Added contact details for the GB Non-native Species Inspectorate.
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Added sections titled 'Rehoming a pet' and 'Find a facility with a licence or permit'. Added information on the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Updated information under 'Rescue centres' and 'Zoos and aquariums'. Updated contact information to report an offence or ask for guidance. Other updates made to make the guidance clearer.
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Changed the dates some animals were listed in the tables. All dates now listed as 15 August 2021 were previously listed as 14 August 2021. Also changed the date raccoon dogs were listed from 2 August 2019 to 2 February 2019.
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Clarified this guidance applies to England and Wales. Added a new sentence to the restrictions on invasive species section to say they must not be transported within the UK. Also added more information to the following sections to make the guidance clearer: Keeping as pets, Rescue centres and Keeping an animal long term.
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First published.