To help limit the catastrophic spread of avian influenza, call an immediate moratorium on the release of captive bred gamebirds and mallards for shooting in the UK this year. Take a precautionary approach to limit the spread of avian influenza and reduce the risk of new strains of the disease.
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Every year over 40 million Pheasants and Red-legged Partridges and 2.6 million Mallard ducks are reared in captivity and then released into the UK countryside to be shot for sport.
Since 2021 there have been 10 outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in gamebird rearing premises. One in Scotland, five in England and four in Wales.
Defra’s statistics on HPAI in wild birds show 70 positive tests in Pheasants in 2022 from August to December, with a peak occurring in October.