Animals – Protected Species and Development

Reptile survey

The presence of various protected and priority animal species has important implications for development, site management and other activities. Legally protected species attract the most attention, but there are also other animals of significance. Whatever the species on your site, we at Penny Anderson Associates Ltd. (PAA) have the experience and expertise to help you.

Please also see our specific pages relating to bats, birds, great crested newts and invertebrates.

Our Expertise
Our in-depth knowledge is based on a thorough understanding of species’ behaviour and ecological processes. Combined with many years of experience, our team offers a full service for most animal groups you might encounter. This knowledge is a powerful tool in assessing the impacts of potential developments on protected species and how to achieve appropriate levels of mitigation. As a result we are able to deliver assessments of UK animals to suit any brief.

Water vole survey
Protected Species Licences
PAA ecologists hold all the relevant European Protected Species licences that may be required by clients and we will advise you on any issues relating to licensing requirements. We regularly apply for licences successfully to cater for species affected by development in order to achieve a favourable conservation status for them.

PAA’s Ecological Survey Calendar includes information on when to survey, and when to carry out mitigation works for many UK animal species, and is available to download here: PAA Ecological Survey Calendar.


At PAA we can carry out surveys of most of the UK’s terrestrial, aquatic and marine animals at competitive prices, including:

  • Bats;
  • Great crested newts and other amphibians;
  • Birds (including barn owls);
  • Badgers;
  • Water vole;
  • Reptiles;
  • Otter;
  • White-clawed crayfish;
  • Dormice;
  • Pine martens and other mammals;
  • Terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates (including lesser silver water beetle).

For more details on our services relating to protected species,
please contact us