A pro-shooting environment minister allowed gamebirds to be released into protected wildlife sites for hunting despite his own experts warning it could spread bird flu to at-risk species.
Lord Richard Benyon, who himself owns a shooting estate, overruled Natural England’s recommendations and approved licence applications from other estates to release pheasants and partridges in, or near to, Special Protection Areas (SPAs). These decisions were made at meetings attended by a pro-shooting charity, openDemocracy has learnt.
Wild Justice, the campaign group co-founded by wildlife presenter Chris Packham, has now accused the government of acting unlawfully by granting the licences and said it is considering legal action.
