Wildlife Act 1976 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wildlife Act 1976 |
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| Oireachtas | |
| Territorial extent | Republic of Ireland |
| Date enacted | 1976 |
| Related legislation | |
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| Summary | |
| Protection of certain wildlife and flora | |
| Status: Substantially amended | |
The Wildlife Act 1976 is a special law made by the Oireachtas, which is the parliament of Ireland. This law was created to protect wild animals, birds, and plants across the country.
Together with the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000, it is the main national law that helps keep Ireland's wildlife and their homes safe. It's super important for looking after nature in Ireland.
What the Wildlife Act Does
This law listed many species of animals and plants that needed special care. However, it wasn't very strong at first when it came to protecting the places where these animals and plants live, especially on private land.
Later, new rules from the European Union helped make things better. These rules, called the Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive, were brought into Irish law. This made the protection of natural homes for wildlife much stronger.
How the Act Was Put into Action
After the Wildlife Act was passed in 1976, more steps were taken to make it work:
- In 1978, a group called the "Wildlife Advisory Council" was set up. This council, also known by its Irish name "An Chomhairle Fhiadhulra," helped create and look after special areas for wildlife. They also worked on protecting breeding grounds and understanding how animals move around. This council was active until 1987.
- In 1980, rules were made to protect wild animals. These were called the "Wildlife Act 1976 (Protection of Wild Animals) Regulations."
- In 1978, rules were also made about buying land for wildlife protection. These were the "Wildlife Act 1976 (Acquisition of Land) Regulations."
Updates to the Wildlife Act
Since 1976, the Wildlife Act has been updated several times to make it even better:
- The first update was in 1985. It was called the "European Communities (Wildlife Act, 1976) (Amendment) Regulations, 1985." This update focused on managing and protecting birds.
- Another update came in 1986. This one, the "European Communities (Wildlife Act, 1976) (Amendment) Regulations, 1986," helped control wild birds that might cause harm to certain things.
- The most recent big change was the "Wildlife (Amendment) Act, 2000." This important update gave legal protection to special places called Natural Heritage Areas. It also added rules for managing and protecting forests, including how to deal with hunting and catching birds in these protected areas.
