This Act enforces protective measures upon wild mammals in the UK and ensures wild mammals are treated humanely when contacted. To do so, the Act makes it an offence to harm wild mammals in the UK, with some notable exceptions.
In this Act “wild mammal” means any mammal which is not a “protected animal” within the meaning of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. An animal (or in this case wild mammal) is a protected animal if:
The Act also gives police certain enforcing powers. For instance, where a constable has reasonable grounds for suspecting that a person has committed an offence under the provisions of this Act and that evidence of the commission of the offence may be found on that person or in or on any vehicle he may have with him, the constable may: