The legality of a recent controversial cull of some 60 birds at Caerphilly Castle, Gwent, has been questioned by members of the House of Commons.

18/06/2019

The legality of a recent controversial cull of some 60 birds at Caerphilly Castle, Gwent, has been questioned by members of the House of Commons. Cadw – the Historic Environment division of the Welsh Government – executed the cull on 14 May under general licences issued by Natural Resources Wales (NRW), the same type that has recently been withdrawn in England. Cadw has since suspended any future culls.

Among the birds shot were Feral Rock Doves that had previously been in the care of Caerphilly Bird Rescue, before being released back into the wild. Legal experts in the House of Commons have questioned the cull's legality and Hefin David – a Welsh Government Assembly Member – has raised a number of legal questions with NRW.

Mr David said he had been reassured by Dafydd-Elis Thomas, the Welsh Government's Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism and Member of Parliament of the United Kingdom, that Cadw has "suspended" further culls at Caerphilly Castle and that a review of the policy was underway, with Mr Thomas saying: "Many people in Caerphilly have expressed their outrage at what has happened in the Castle.

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