SUMMER is a time for upgrading or tidying our homes, garages, sheds and gardens; retiling a roof, removing shrubs or building a patio whether it’s a DIY project or employing contractors to do the work.

All sounds good but did you know that you may be committing a wildlife crime?

Wildlife crime is on the increase; cities are seeing more deer poaching, hare coursing, badger baiting even fox hunting yet its probably unknowingly (innocently) happening in our homes and gardens! Before any renovation or garden work, do research what you want to do and when you want to start and finish job.

If it’s during the spring or summer months consider the breeding habits of wildlife, if its winter, consider hibernating species like bats, hedgehogs and our ever important pollinators like bumble bees and butterflies.

If you are employing contractors make sure they are up to date with Building and Wildlife legislation. Almost all of Britain’s Flora and Fauna is protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

What is a wildlife crime? In simple terms it’s when a wild animal or bird is injured, killed or taken from the wild and it’s home or habitat is knowingly interfered with, damaged or destroyed.

During the spring and summer months many animals and birds establish or return to their territories in the rooftops, garage eaves, under sheds and of course the garden.

Britain’s Common Pipistrelle bats may hibernate in a loft during the winter with the females returning to their maternity roosts during the summer months.

These furry little creatures and their roosts are legally protected all year round, so seek advice from Scottish Natural Heritage, www.snh.org.uk or Bat Conservation Trust, www.bats.org.uk before carrying out any work that might affect them. Migrant birds like Swallows, Swifts and House Martens arrive from Africa to build their mud nests under eaves.

A little mess is created for a few weeks but it’s worth it to have such bonny summer visitors. Don’t try to remove nests as eggs or young birds will be getting reared, and you will be breaking the law. Also try to consider our native garden birds like blackbirds, robins and dunnock’s whose nesting season is usually March to August. It is an offence to cut down trees or hedges if it disturbs nesting birds. For more advice contact RSPB, www.rspb.org.uk.

Animals including Badgers may visit gardens and occasionally one may set up a temporary home, they are one of our most protected mammals in Scotland even having their own act (Badger Act 1992). Seek advice from www.scottishbadgers.org.uk

Amphibians like frogs, toads and newts are also protected, they are extremely sensitive to many chemicals so take care when using weed killers and such substances near ponds and streams to ensure these toxins do not enter the water and when disposing of the remaining chemicals make sure you follow advice on the container or contact your Local Authority, SEPA, Froglife or any pond specialist.

Remember it’s illegal to interfere with, kill, injure, damage, remove, buy or, sell any native flora or fauna from the wild. If you think a non emergency wildlife crime is being committed contact the Wildlife Crime Officers in Police Scotland on telephone number 101. For Wildlife crime actually happening telephone 999. Remember to get an incident number.

‘Wildlife Crime’ Written by Countryside Ranger, Jackie Clark