AUTUMN 2025 TRANSFORMING WILDLIFE PROTECTION AND ANIMAL WELFARE IN WALES
INTRODUCTION
Wales is known the world over for its beautiful landand sea-scapes, its unique culture, and its wild places. Sadly, it is now one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world.
The 2023 State of Nature report found that wildlife in Wales has decreased on average by 20% since 1994, and that one in six Welsh species are threatened with extinction.
In response to the grim fact that Wales is falling behind other UK countries and is failing to meet its international commitments for nature recovery, the Welsh Senedd declared a nature emergency in 2021, calling on the Welsh Government to establish legally binding targets for nature recovery and introduce new domestic environmental governance provisions.
However, while the Welsh Government introduced its Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Bill in June 2025 which would create an Office of Environmental Governance Wales and a biodiversity target-setting framework, no binding targets are yet in force, the timeline for enacting the legislation and setting the targets has slipped, and according to recent reports legally binding targets are unlikely to be in force until around 2029.
It’s not just the future of native wildlife that is at risk. Wild animals are also suffering in poorly-regulated captive environments. For example, outdated legislation still allows primates and other exotic wild animals to be kept in inappropriate domestic settings and permits the exploitation of wild animals for public performances with little meaningful regulation.
The Welsh Government has a moral imperative to protect wildlife for future generations, and to reduce the negative impacts of human activities on wild species and the welfare of individual animals. Protecting biodiversity is also critical to maintaining and improving the ecosystem services it provides, such as clean air, potable water, secure food provision and defence against flooding. Thriving wildlife and biodiversity also help limit global warming, mitigate risks to animal and human health by reducing the spread of pathogens, and provide vital benefits for our mental, physical and cultural well-being.
The need for real and effective legislation and policies that protect animal welfare, human wellbeing, biodiversity and the environment has never been more urgent.
Born Free is therefore calling on candidates for the upcoming elections to the Welsh Senedd to recognise the importance of protecting and restoring wildlife and wild habitats, eliminating the negative impacts we have on the welfare of individual wild animals (both free-living and captive), and placing nature protection and animal welfare improvements front and centre of Welsh Government and parliamentary business.
1 https://stateofnature.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/ TP26053-SoN-Wales-summary-report-v10.pdf
IMMUTABLE PRINCIPLES
We call on political parties and their candidates at the upcoming Senedd elections in 2026 to commit to:
• Adopting clear, ambitious targets for nature’s protection and recovery designed to meet and exceed the UK’s international commitments, and introducing and implementing the policies and providing the resources necessary to ensure those targets are met.
• Adopting a precautionary approach favouring the protection of native wild animals, plants, and the habitats on which they depend.
• Adopting an all-of-government and all-of-society approach to wildlife protection, ensuring that it is always given primary consideration throughout policy making.
• Applying One Health and One Welfare principles and approaches across legislation and policy relating to or affecting nature and wild animals.
• Identifying and eliminating perverse funding and other incentives that are harmful to nature and wildlife.
• Prioritising measures to tackle wildlife crime by working with enforcers and wider stakeholders to develop and implement a clear and ambitious wildlife crime policing strategy, strengthen associated prosecutorial and judicial processes, and establish truly deterrent punitive measures.
• Creating and implementing a wide-ranging and robust Animal Welfare Action Plan, to secure and improve the welfare of wild animals, both free living and captive, taking full account of their individual, social, behavioural and cultural requirements.
LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
Undertake a thorough review of wildlife legislation
Born Free urges parties and candidates contesting the Welsh Senedd elections in 2026 to commit to a thorough review of wildlife protection legislation and associated penalties, in order to ensure that the legislation is fit for purpose, adopts a precautionary approach in favour of wildlife protection, and provides a sound basis to enable Wales to achieve and exceed its international commitments to halt and reverse wildlife declines and meet the goals and targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework. Penalties should be sufficiently severe in order to act as a strong deterrent to potential perpetrators of wildlife crime, whether they be natural or legal persons.
Protect animals exploited for tourism and entertainment overseas
The UK considers itself to be a global leader in promoting high animal welfare standards. We were therefore pleased to see the passage of the Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Act in September 2023. However, the Act awaits the establishment of secondary legislation to bring it into effect.
Born Free urges parties and candidates for the Welsh Senedd elections in 2026 to ensure that comprehensive ‘activity regulations’ are introduced and implemented to effectively prohibit the advertising and sale of low welfare activities overseas involving animals, without delay.
Eliminate the use of cruel wildlife control methods
Born Free welcomed the Agriculture (Wales) Act 2023, which included a ban on the use of cruel cable restraints and ‘glue traps’ in Wales. However, other types of traps, such as spring traps and Larsen traps, which can cause serious animal suffering, remain legal to use subject to the necessary approvals and/or licences. The latter can result in suffering to both target and decoy birds, and can also result in the starvation of dependent young.
Born Free urges parties and candidates for the Senedd elections in 2026 to review the welfare issues caused by trapping and killing animals in the wild, and end the sale and use of any which may cause unnecessary animal suffering in order to protect native Welsh wildlife.
Protect
wild animals used in exhibition and performance
The Performing Animals (Regulation) Act 1925 is now 100 years old and is no longer suitable for regulating the use of wild animals in exhibition and performance. The low-welfare practice of keeping and training wild animals for exhibition and performance has serious negative impacts on the lives of many thousands of wild animals. The very same activities would be illegal in Wales were they associated with a travelling circus, under the Wild Animals and Circuses (Wales) Act 2020.
Born Free’s report ‘Exhibition or Exploitation’, released in November 2021, highlighted the sheer number of wild animals of many different species that are being used under licence across Britain, and emphasised that the legislation is failing to effectively protect the welfare of animals or the health and safety of people.
A public consultation on the ‘Licensing of Animal Welfare Establishments, Activities and Exhibits’, in Wales ran from December 2023 to March 2024. The summary of responses published by the Welsh Government in December 2024 reported that the majority of respondents (71.63%) agreed that a licensing scheme should be introduced for mobile animal exhibits, with a high proportion favouring an outright ban. The document also acknowledged that “it is unlikely that the welfare standards of many of Wales’ performing animals are regularly assessed.”
Born Free calls on parties and candidates for the Senedd elections in 2026 to commit to reviewing the regulations for Wales with a view to introducing a prohibition on the use of wild animals for exhibition or performance, or at the very least to strengthen licensing requirements, inspection procedures and associated penalties by bringing such licensing under the scope of the existing Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Wales) Regulations 2021.
Protect animals from the exotic pet trade
Most wild animals or ‘exotic’ species imported or bred for the pet trade are not suited for a life in captivity. As highlighted by the joint 2021 report by Born Free and the RSPCA entitled ‘The Exotic Pet-Demic – UK's Ticking Timebomb Exposed’, it is impossible to provide most wild animals in a domestic setting with a captive environment that meets their welfare needs, resulting in considerable animal suffering. The trade in and keeping of wild animals as pets also present significant risks to human, animal and environmental health and safety.
The true scale of exotic pet keeping in Wales is unknown. While several countries in Europe and beyond have adopted or are in the process of developing legislation to regulate the trade in and keeping of exotic pets, Wales remains among the more permissive countries. It is currently legal within Wales for private individuals to keep almost any wild animal as a pet. A very small proportion of species are banned, and some additional species require a licence. Current legislation is reactionary, woefully out of date and unable to keep up with emerging animal welfare and conservation science; nor can it adequately mitigate the risk of human injury or infection, or wider environmental consequences.
In a poll conducted by Opinion Matters in December 2022, 85% of Welsh residents agreed that the regulation of the trade in and keeping of ‘exotic pets’ should be tightened.
Born Free calls on parties and candidates for the Senedd elections in 2026 to commit to revising the legislation governing the trade in and keeping of wild animals as pets. Consideration should be given to a Permitted / Positive List system based on criteria designed to determine whether welfare needs can be met, whether there are any conservation concerns, and whether the trade presents a risk to humans, other species or the environment. Due consideration should be given to recognised best practice systems in place or in development in other countries. This should be accompanied by demand reduction strategies and public education campaigns in order to tackle misinformation and ease of access to wild animals as pets, and foster public understanding of the associated harms and risks.
Improve the regulation of zoos
The UK’s current zoo licensing and inspection system is failing to protect the welfare of zoo animals.
New Standards for Modern Zoo Practice have recently been published by the UK Government and are due to come into effect in 2027. However, legislation to make compliance with these standards mandatory has failed to materialise as have proposed improvements to the conservation, education and research requirements of zoos.
Born Free encourages parties and candidates for the Senedd elections in 2026 to commit to reviewing and revising zoo licensing and inspection processes to ensure compliance with the revised Standards of Modern Zoo Practice 2027 becomes a licensing requirement in Wales.
Regulate animal sanctuaries, rescue and rehabilitation centres
Currently any facility can claim to be a rescue centre, rehabilitation centre, sanctuary, shelter etc. while possibly operating under a different objective. This can be misleading and confusing for those seeking help with injured or abandoned animals, those seeking to relinquish their animals, those who visit the establishments, and those providing support through donations or other means. Licensing should apply not only to those caring for domestic animals but also those who care for wild animals (otherwise referred to as exotic, non-companion or non-domesticated animals).
The ever-increasing number of wild animals being traded and kept as pets that are being abandoned or surrendered highlights the increasing need for rescue establishments. However, it also presents opportunities for the exploitation of such circumstances to the detriment of the animals entrusted into their care.
82% of respondents to the Welsh Government’s recent consultation on the Licensing of Animal Welfare Establishments agreed that Animal Welfare Establishments (animal sanctuaries and animal rescue and rehabilitation centres) should be licensed.
Born Free calls on parties and candidates for the Senedd elections in 2026 to call for the introduction of regulations for Animal Welfare Establishments which ensure such establishments operate to defined statutory standards aimed at ensuring that they operate to a high ethical standard and prioritise animal welfare.
POLICY PRIORITIES
Appoint dedicated Commissioners for Nature and Animal Welfare
One in six Welsh species are threatened with national extinction, and wildlife in Wales has decreased on average by 20% since 1994.
Welsh landscapes and wildlife habitats are increasingly threatened by climate change – as seen by the increasing incidents of wildfires, drought and flooding. Protecting and restoring wild spaces is our best option for protecting human lives and livelihoods from these extremes.
The abolition of EU-retained laws by the UK Government, including hundreds of environmental protections, and any additional deregulation of nature protection, infrastructure development and planning processes, risks further damaging Wales’ natural environment.
Born Free urges parties and candidates for the Senedd elections in 2026 to support the appointment of dedicated Commissioners for Nature and Animal Welfare, to coordinate work across all Welsh Government departments in order to ensure that decisions made by the Welsh Government embrace and prioritise nature protection and restoration and animal welfare, to hold ministers to account, and to report to the Senedd and the wider public.
Phase-out unsuitable species in zoos
Claims by zoos that they significantly contribute to species conservation and public education require careful scrutiny and cannot be taken at face value to justify the keeping and breeding of wild animals in captivity. The adoption of a ban on keeping cetaceans in captivity should be introduced, in line with a growing number of nations across the world. Additionally, the keeping of species which clearly do not thrive in zoos, including (but not limited to) elephants, giraffe, big cats, polar bears and great apes, should be phased out.
More than 20 years of scientific evidence has highlighted how elephant welfare is compromised in captivity. The recently published 10-year Elephant Welfare Group report to the UK Government failed to demonstrate a significant improvement in elephant welfare in UK zoos. Any attempts at improving their situation have been delivered at glacial pace and have not resulted in substantive improvements to their welfare. A 2025 YouGov poll found that less than half (41%) of Britons now feel it is acceptable to keep elephants in zoos.
A ban on their captive keeping is the only humane solution. With no elephants currently present in Welsh zoos, the next Welsh Government has the opportunity to lead the way in the UK and demonstrate its commitment to progressive and science-led animal welfare-related policy.
Improve the response to wildlife crime
Wildlife crimes encompass a large range of illegal activities, including poaching, the persecution of badgers, hares and other animals for ‘sport’, the killing of predators and birds of prey to protect shooting interests, and the international trafficking of wild animals and wildlife products for profit. Such crimes can have devastating impacts on the welfare of individual animals and can severely disrupt and diminish wildlife populations and habitats, as well as presenting biosecurity risks. Perpetrators may be members of international criminal networks, are often involved in other criminal activities including theft, corruption, money laundering and violent crime, and may represent a national security risk. Wildlife crimes are increasing across the UK, and the UK is a significant destination for illegally traded wildlife products. Wildlife crimes need to be taken seriously, yet are often viewed as ‘victimless’ or low-grade crimes, resulting in a lack of prioritisation, poor conviction rates, and inadequate sentencing. The significant impacts of wildlife crime on individual people and rural communities are often overlooked.
In collaboration with Welsh police forces, the National Wildlife Crime Unit, and other relevant stakeholders, the Welsh Government should develop a wildlife crime policing strategy, with specialised wildlife crime officers trained to coordinate response. Wildlife crime should be treated as serious crime, and this should be reflected in the Welsh Government Prosecution Code. The Sentencing Council for England and Wales should also be encouraged to produce comprehensive sentencing guidance for wildlife crimes so as to better equip judges and magistrates to issue deterrent penalties.
The Welsh Senedd should also support the development and implementation of an international agreement to tackle wildlife trafficking, ideally through an additional protocol under the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime.
Include and embed empathy for animals, the importance of animal welfare and animal sentience throughout the Curriculum for Wales
The Curriculum for Wales aims to ensure that all children grow up to flourish in life, as healthy, creative, ambitious, ethical and informed citizens of Wales and the rest of the world.
An appreciation of, and respect for animals, including wildlife, and a recognition that animals are feeling, sentient beings is key to achieving these aims.
Born Free urges parties and candidates for the Welsh Senedd elections in 2026 to ensure that the young people of Wales are taught about, and understand the importance of animal welfare, animal sentience, and displaying empathy towards animals, throughout their school career, by ensuring its inclusion in the Curriculum for Wales’ mandatory guidance.
