The Minister is empowered to give licences, under Section 23 & Section 34 of the Wildlife Act (as amended), to capture or kill humanely, or capture and humanely kill, a protected wild animal of a species specified in the licence for such Educational, Scientific or Other Purposes as shall be so specified.
These applications are considered on their merits in accordance with the Statutory Obligations of the Minister set out in the Wildlife Act, 1976 (as amended).
Download the application form to Capture or Kill Protected Wild Animals for Educational or Scientific Purposes
White-Clawed Crayfish licences
A separate Application Form is required in respect of White-Clawed Crayfish licences.
Download the Application Form for White-Clawed Crayfish
Download the Survey Licence Conditions Document for White-Clawed Crayfish
Applications for licences may be emailed to: wildlifelicence@npws.gov.ie or sent by post to:
Wildlife Licence Unit National Parks and Wildlife Service Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage 90 King Street NorthSmithfield Dublin 7 D07 N7CV Email: wildlifelicence@npws.gov.ie
Recommendations on individual applications are obtained from NPWS Research and/or Management staff and decisions on granting or refusing licences are made by an officer designated to issue licences on behalf of the Minister. Licences are issued to facilitate bona fide research programmes or where no other viable alternative to capture or humanely killing the protected animal is available. In all cases, licences are only granted if the licences will result in no significant adverse impact on the conservation of the species.