The Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985
Northern Ireland Order in Council 1985 No. 171 — creates 62 criminal offences.
- Made
- 13 February 1985
- In force from
- Not determined
- Extent
- N.I.
- Subject
- Dogs, animals, hunting and wildlife
Explanatory note
No explanatory note was published with this instrument, or none was found in its text.
Offences created by this instrument
- Protection of certain wild animals article 10(1) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Protection of certain wild animals article 10(2) · In force · Strict liability
- Protection of certain wild animals article 10(4) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Protection of certain wild animals article 10(4A) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Prohibition of certain methods of killing or taking wild animals article 12(1) · In force · Strict liability
- Prohibition of certain methods of killing or taking wild animals article 12(2) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Prohibition of certain methods of killing or taking wild animals article 12(2C) · In force · Strict liability
- Prohibition of certain methods of killing or taking wild animals article 12(2D) · In force · Strict liability
- Prohibition of certain methods of killing or taking wild animals article 12(2E) · In force · Strict liability
- Prohibition of certain methods of killing or taking wild animals article 12(2F) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Prohibition of certain methods of killing or taking wild animals article 12(6) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Prohibition of certain methods of killing or taking wild animals article 12(7) · In force · Strict liability
- Spring traps article 12A(1) · In force · Strict liability
- Sale, etc., of live or dead wild animals article 13(1) · In force · Strict liability
- Sale, etc., of live or dead wild animals article 13(2) · In force · Strict liability
- Protection of wild plants article 14(1) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Protection of wild plants article 14(2) · In force · Strict liability
- Protection of wild plants article 14(3A) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Introduction of new species, etc article 15(1) · In force · Strict liability
- Introduction of new species, etc article 15(2) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Introduction of new species, etc article 15(2) · In force · Strict liability
- Introduction of new species, etc article 15(2A) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Prohibition on sale, etc. of invasive, non-native species article 15A(2) · In force · Strict liability
- Prohibition on sale, etc. of invasive, non-native species article 15A(4) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Possession of pesticides harmful to wildlife article 15B(1) · In force · Strict liability
- Wildlife refuges article 16 · In force · Mixed — some elements strict, some not
- Wildlife refuges article 16(1) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Wildlife refuges article 16(1)(a) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Wildlife refuges article 16(1)(b) · In force · Strict liability
- Wildlife refuges article 16(3) · In force · Strict liability
- Protection of deer article 19(1) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Protection of deer article 19(2) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Protection of deer article 19(3) · In force · Strict liability
- Protection of deer article 19(4) · In force · Strict liability
- Prevention of poaching article 22(1) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Prevention of poaching article 22(2) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Prevention of poaching article 22(5) · In force · Strict liability
- Sales and purchases, etc., of venison article 23(2) · In force · Objective fault
- Sales and purchases, etc., of venison article 23(2)(a) · In force · Strict liability
- False statements made for obtaining registration or licence article 24 · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Any person who, for the purposes of committing an offence under Part 2 or 3 (the relevant offence), has in his… article 24A(1) · In force · Strict liability
- Powers of constables in connection with samples article 25A(4) · In force · Strict liability
- Power of wildlife inspector to enter premises article 25B(7) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Power of wildlife inspector to enter premises article 25B(8) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Power of wildlife inspector to examine specimens and take samples article 25C(7) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Protection of wild birds, their nests and eggs article 4(1) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Protection of wild birds, their nests and eggs article 4(2) · In force · Strict liability
- Protection of wild birds, their nests and eggs article 4(6) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Protection of wild birds, their nests and eggs article 4(6) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Protection of wild birds, their nests and eggs article 4(6A) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Prohibition of certain methods of killing or taking wild birds article 6(1) · In force · Strict liability
- Prohibition of certain methods of killing or taking wild birds article 6(5) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Prohibition of certain methods of killing or taking wild birds article 6(6) · In force · Strict liability
- Sale, etc., of live or dead wild birds, eggs, etc article 7(1) · In force · Strict liability
- Sale, etc., of live or dead wild birds, eggs, etc article 7(2) · In force · Strict liability
- Sale, etc., of live or dead wild birds, eggs, etc article 7(2A) · In force · Requires proof of a state of mind
- Sale, etc., of live or dead wild birds, eggs, etc article 7(4) · In force · Strict liability
- Sale, etc., of live or dead wild birds, eggs, etc article 7(4)(a) · In force · Strict liability
- Competitions, etc article 8(1) · In force · Strict liability
- Competitions, etc article 8(3) · In force · Strict liability
- Protection of captive birds article 9(1) · In force · Strict liability
- Protection of captive birds article 9(3) · In force · Strict liability
What Parliament said about it
Contributions, debates and written statements mentioning this instrument by name. Parliamentary material is reused under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.
- Fisheries Bill [Lords] (Fifth sitting)
Commons · Public Bill Committees · 15 September 2020 · Victoria Prentis
The clause is a standard provision that simply provides for the short title. Question put and agreed to. Clause 54, as amended, accordingly ordered to stand part of the Bill. New Clause 1 Conservation of Seals ‘Schedule (conservation of seals) contains amendments of the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 and the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 (1985/171 (N.I. 2)) in connection with prohibiting the killing, injuring or taking of seals.’— (Victoria Prentis.) This new clause introduces the proposed new Schedule on the conservation of seals. Brought up, read the First and Second time, and…
- Fisheries Bill [Lords] (Fifth sitting)
Commons · Public Bill Committees · 15 September 2020 · Luke Pollard
Labour supports these amendments and we will not vote against them. Every seal matters and the discussions that we have had with stakeholders show strong support for the measures outlined by the Minister. Indeed, the changes to the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 and the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 prohibit the killing, injuring or taking of seals, as well as limiting the circumstances in which those activities can be permitted. Previously, these activities were prohibited only if particular weapons or poisonous substances were used. These changes provide a broader set of…
- Fisheries Bill [Lords] (Fifth sitting)
Commons · Public Bill Committees · 15 September 2020 · Victoria Prentis
The proposed amendments to the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 and the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 will provide new protections for wild seal populations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from intentional or reckless injury, killing or taking. It will greatly restrict the circumstances in which any intentional killing of a wild seal is lawfully permitted—for example, animal welfare exemptions to euthanise a wild seal if found to suffer from irrecoverable injury, pain or disease. The amendments are highly beneficial from an animal welfare perspective, as seals are often…
- Catapults and Antisocial Behaviour
Commons · Westminster Hall · 2 December 2025 · Alex Easton (North Down) (Ind)
The Partnership for Action against Wildlife Crime Northern Ireland has helpfully drawn attention to the growing misuse of catapults. Does the hon. Member agree that there must be robust enforcement of existing law, particularly article 12 of the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 in respect of wild animals and the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 in respect of domestic animals?
How Parliament handled it
Parliament's Statutory Instruments service records procedure from May 2017 onwards, and this instrument predates it. That is a limit of the source, not a statement that nothing happened.
Check the source
- This instrument on legislation.gov.uk The authoritative text, including amendments made since
- Other instruments from 1985