Defra challenged over 'unlawful' release of 57m game birds in UK

Wild Justice takes legal action, citing 'ecological assault' and harm to rare wildlife from mass release of birds for shooting

Environmental campaigners have issued a legal case against the government to try to halt the release of more than 50m non-native game birds this summer, saying the birds could damage Britain's most important wildlife sites.

Wild Justice, a campaign group led by the environmentalists Chris Packham, Mark Avery and Ruth Tingay, said the annual release of 47m pheasants and 10m red-legged partridges was "unlawful" without a proper assessment of the ecological impacts the animals have on protected areas.