![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg\")
HOW MANY RAPTORS WERE ILLEGALLY KILLED IN 2021? <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\nThe RSPB has documented 108 confirmed incidents, expected to rise as data comes in, and most involve the shooting, trapping and poisoning of protected birds of prey. The number is superseded only by 2020\u2019s unprecedented surge of 146 incidents, which was partly attributed to surveillance becoming harder during Covid-19 lockdowns. The prepandemic figures were 64 in 2015, 87 in 2018, and 85 in 2019. England alone saw 80 incidents in 2021: the second-highest figure on record. <\/p>\n\n
<\/p>\n\n
\n\n<\/p>\n\n
WHICH SPECIES HAVE BEEN TARGETED? <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/01\/GettyImages_673886738_preview-edited.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n50 buzzards<\/span><\/h6>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/01\/Red-kite_preview-1024x680.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n16 red kites<\/span><\/h6>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/01\/Peregrine-c-RSPB_preview-edited.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n7 peregrines<\/span><\/h6>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/01\/GettyImages_802977446_preview-1024x684.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n3 goshawks<\/span><\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nDeaths include 50 buzzards, 16 red kites, seven peregrines and three goshawks. Rare hen harriers, golden eagles and white-tailed eagles continue to be affected. In Scotland, a golden eagle was found poisoned in the Cairngorms National Park; 68 golden eagles have been illegally killed in Scotland since 1981. \u201cThe figures are a fraction of the true number,\u201d says Mark Thomas, head of RSPB investigations. \u201cWhen tagged birds are targeted they simply stop moving or the tag stops working. But tagged birds are a fraction of the wider raptor population. Many, many more untagged birds are illegally killed.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
<\/p>\n\n
<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\nIn focus: the hen harrier <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/1f0a26c7-f215-47f3-97f0-43ab9a57f325.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nPersecution continues to affect the recovery of hen harriers, according to the RSPB report: \u201cReports for over two decades have identified persecution as the main factor suppressing the UK hen harrier population.\u201d GPS satellite tagging continues to reveal suspicious disappearances of young hen harriers, including Asta, whose government-funded tag was later found attached to a dead crow. Her body was never recovered. The RSPB says the circumstances were \u201chighly suspicious\u201d. The Moorland Association\u2019s Amanda Anderson says: \u201cThe breeding success of hen harriers in the uplands \u2013 the best for generations \u2013 is a real cause for celebration. Land managed for grouse is a haven for birds of prey.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n<\/p>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/01\/Raptors-down-well-c-RSPB.JPG_preview-1024x683.jpg\")
These buzzard and red kite carcasses were recovered from a mass grave in Wiltshire <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nWHO IS TO BLAME? <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\nAccording to the RSPB, 71% of incidents relate to game-bird shooting. \u201cBirds of prey are persecuted because they are perceived to be a threat to the stocks of pheasants, partridges and red grouse,\u201d says the report. <\/p>\n\n
The two worst counties based on 2021 data \u2013 Norfolk (13 incidents) and Dorset (12 incidents) \u2013 are lowland areas, dominated by pheasant and partridge shooting, followed by North Yorkshire (10 incidents), which includes grouse, pheasant and partridge shooting. Five individuals, all gamekeepers, were prosecuted for raptor-related offences. One incident was caught on camera by the RSPB, showing a gamekeeper beating buzzards to death in a trap in Nottinghamshire. A prosecution this year involved a gruesome mass grave of dead raptors (at least 11 buzzards and four red kites) down a well in Wiltshire; gamekeeper Archie Watson received a 12-month community order and was ordered to pay \u00a3393 costs. He pleaded guilty to offences relating to the possession of dead birds of prey.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n
\u201cThe figures are a fraction of the true number. Many more untagged birds are illegally killed\u201d <\/span><\/p>Mark Thomas, RSPB<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\nWHAT DOES THE SHOOTING INDUSTRY SAY? <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/7d831a3e-3f94-4ef3-aa6b-9e10dd261bbe.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\nAim to Sustain, a coalition of landowner and shooting organisations, says: \u201cAny incident of raptor persecution is to be condemned and the game-shooting sector is clear that the weight of the law should be applied to those who indulge in such activity. There was a reduction in the number of incidents in 2021, which should be welcomed.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
The Moorland Association\u2019s director Amanda Anderson says there is \u201cmore work to be done\u201d, but the trend of prosecution is down, particularly in the uplands. \u201cIt is notable that many of the incidents reported do not occur on land managed for grouse shooting,\u201d she says. Anderson feels the RSPB report does \u201cnot reflect satisfactorily the continued growth in the UK\u2019s bird of prey population\u201d. <\/p>\n\n
In response, the RSPB\u2019s Mark Thomas says: \u201cOur figure of 71% relates to cases where we are able to prove a watertight link to game-bird shooting. In many other cases, we believe there is a strong likelihood that it happened in relation to game-bird shooting.\u201d <\/p>\n\n<\/div>\nThe curious death of an eagle in Dorset <\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nClaire Dinsdale, a former wildlife-crime officer with Dorset Police and now at the National Wildlife Crime Unit, expressed frustration over the investigation into the death of a white-tailed eagle in Dorset in January 2022. Although blood tests showed the bird had seven times the lethal dose of the rat poison brodifacoum, a Dorset Police investigation concluded there was \u201cinsufficient evidence\u201d to prove a wilful poisoning had taken place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the time, West Dorset MP Chris Loder said Dorset was not a place for eagles to be introduced and that \u201cpolice should instead focus resources on targeting county lines drug networks\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe eagle case was shut down prematurely in my view,\u201d said Dinsdale on Twitter, \u201cand the planned multi-agency search I had arranged was cancelled. It is clear to anyone with a basic understanding of wildlife crime that Dorset had a problem.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/01\/K8TNH0_preview-1024x582.jpg\")
Grouse moors face regulation <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nCLAMPING DOWN? <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\nThe RSPB report concludes: \u201cIt is clear that raptor persecution is deeply rooted and will persist without urgent, meaningful action to clamp down on the individuals and businesses responsible.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
The RSPB has called for the licensing of driven grouse moors. \u201cSelf-regulation has largely failed to drive higher environmental standards, leaving no option but to look for additional regulation to deliver the change needed,\u201d says Mark Thomas. \u201cThe illegal killing of birds of prey should result in sanctions, including licence revocation for a defined period.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
All parties will monitor the impact in Scotland, where licensing legislation for driven grouse shooting will begin in 2023. <\/p>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/01\/2A4M0Y5_preview-1024x682.jpg\")
Releasing young pheasants <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nThe RSPB has also called for: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\u2022 <\/strong>Additional regulation for pheasant and partridge shooting, an activity that annually involves the release of up to 60 million non-native game birds across the UK. \u2022 <\/strong>Better sentencing guidelines for magistrates, so that more prison sentences, rather than fines and community service orders, are issued.
\u2022 <\/strong>A legal requirement for traps and users to be registered with the police and better enforcement of existing rules. <\/p>\n\nHave your say? <\/strong><\/em>What do you think about the issues raised here? Write to us or email editor@countryfile.com <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n
Persecution and poisoning of birds of prey remains high, according to the 2021 RSPB Bird Crime report<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":22547,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","purple_page_number":"46","purple_custom_meta_purple_page_number":"46","purple_seq_number":"1","purple_custom_meta_purple_seq_number":"1","purple_source_article":"article_46-1.xml","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_article":"article_46-1.xml","purple_source_issue":"February-2023","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_issue":"February-2023","purple_external_id":"February-2023-46-1","purple_custom_meta_purple_external_id":"February-2023-46-1","purple_issue_code":"|0000084065||","purple_custom_meta_purple_issue_code":"|0000084065||","purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_custom_meta_purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_custom_meta_purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_web_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_web_product":"","purple_publication_id":"91da22fd-9e7f-40d1-a93f-fc46e9516d91","purple_migrated":"","kt_blocks_editor_width":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2023-01-10T18:04:52Z","apple_news_article-theme":"","apple_news_api_id":"9b551ed4-ee0f-4861-9d32-3d8206546638","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2023-01-25T14:26:13Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADQ==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/Am1Ue1O4PSGGdMj2CBlRmOA","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":true,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_article_theme":"","apple_news_sections":"[]"},"categories":[27],"tags":[14],"apple_news_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"6","apple_news_title":""},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg",1518,907,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-300x179.jpg",300,179,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-768x459.jpg",768,459,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-1024x612.jpg",800,478,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg",1518,907,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg",1518,907,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Persecution and poisoning of birds of prey remains high, according to the 2021 RSPB Bird Crime report","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22557"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22557"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22557\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23037,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22557\/revisions\/23037"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22547"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22557"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22557"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22557"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n50 buzzards<\/span><\/h6>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n16 red kites<\/span><\/h6>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n7 peregrines<\/span><\/h6>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n3 goshawks<\/span><\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nDeaths include 50 buzzards, 16 red kites, seven peregrines and three goshawks. Rare hen harriers, golden eagles and white-tailed eagles continue to be affected. In Scotland, a golden eagle was found poisoned in the Cairngorms National Park; 68 golden eagles have been illegally killed in Scotland since 1981. \u201cThe figures are a fraction of the true number,\u201d says Mark Thomas, head of RSPB investigations. \u201cWhen tagged birds are targeted they simply stop moving or the tag stops working. But tagged birds are a fraction of the wider raptor population. Many, many more untagged birds are illegally killed.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
<\/p>\n\n
<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\nIn focus: the hen harrier <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nPersecution continues to affect the recovery of hen harriers, according to the RSPB report: \u201cReports for over two decades have identified persecution as the main factor suppressing the UK hen harrier population.\u201d GPS satellite tagging continues to reveal suspicious disappearances of young hen harriers, including Asta, whose government-funded tag was later found attached to a dead crow. Her body was never recovered. The RSPB says the circumstances were \u201chighly suspicious\u201d. The Moorland Association\u2019s Amanda Anderson says: \u201cThe breeding success of hen harriers in the uplands \u2013 the best for generations \u2013 is a real cause for celebration. Land managed for grouse is a haven for birds of prey.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n<\/p>\n\nThese buzzard and red kite carcasses were recovered from a mass grave in Wiltshire <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nWHO IS TO BLAME? <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\nAccording to the RSPB, 71% of incidents relate to game-bird shooting. \u201cBirds of prey are persecuted because they are perceived to be a threat to the stocks of pheasants, partridges and red grouse,\u201d says the report. <\/p>\n\n
The two worst counties based on 2021 data \u2013 Norfolk (13 incidents) and Dorset (12 incidents) \u2013 are lowland areas, dominated by pheasant and partridge shooting, followed by North Yorkshire (10 incidents), which includes grouse, pheasant and partridge shooting. Five individuals, all gamekeepers, were prosecuted for raptor-related offences. One incident was caught on camera by the RSPB, showing a gamekeeper beating buzzards to death in a trap in Nottinghamshire. A prosecution this year involved a gruesome mass grave of dead raptors (at least 11 buzzards and four red kites) down a well in Wiltshire; gamekeeper Archie Watson received a 12-month community order and was ordered to pay \u00a3393 costs. He pleaded guilty to offences relating to the possession of dead birds of prey.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n
\u201cThe figures are a fraction of the true number. Many more untagged birds are illegally killed\u201d <\/span><\/p>Mark Thomas, RSPB<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\nWHAT DOES THE SHOOTING INDUSTRY SAY? <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\nAim to Sustain, a coalition of landowner and shooting organisations, says: \u201cAny incident of raptor persecution is to be condemned and the game-shooting sector is clear that the weight of the law should be applied to those who indulge in such activity. There was a reduction in the number of incidents in 2021, which should be welcomed.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
The Moorland Association\u2019s director Amanda Anderson says there is \u201cmore work to be done\u201d, but the trend of prosecution is down, particularly in the uplands. \u201cIt is notable that many of the incidents reported do not occur on land managed for grouse shooting,\u201d she says. Anderson feels the RSPB report does \u201cnot reflect satisfactorily the continued growth in the UK\u2019s bird of prey population\u201d. <\/p>\n\n
In response, the RSPB\u2019s Mark Thomas says: \u201cOur figure of 71% relates to cases where we are able to prove a watertight link to game-bird shooting. In many other cases, we believe there is a strong likelihood that it happened in relation to game-bird shooting.\u201d <\/p>\n\n<\/div>\nThe curious death of an eagle in Dorset <\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nClaire Dinsdale, a former wildlife-crime officer with Dorset Police and now at the National Wildlife Crime Unit, expressed frustration over the investigation into the death of a white-tailed eagle in Dorset in January 2022. Although blood tests showed the bird had seven times the lethal dose of the rat poison brodifacoum, a Dorset Police investigation concluded there was \u201cinsufficient evidence\u201d to prove a wilful poisoning had taken place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the time, West Dorset MP Chris Loder said Dorset was not a place for eagles to be introduced and that \u201cpolice should instead focus resources on targeting county lines drug networks\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe eagle case was shut down prematurely in my view,\u201d said Dinsdale on Twitter, \u201cand the planned multi-agency search I had arranged was cancelled. It is clear to anyone with a basic understanding of wildlife crime that Dorset had a problem.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\nGrouse moors face regulation <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nCLAMPING DOWN? <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\nThe RSPB report concludes: \u201cIt is clear that raptor persecution is deeply rooted and will persist without urgent, meaningful action to clamp down on the individuals and businesses responsible.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
The RSPB has called for the licensing of driven grouse moors. \u201cSelf-regulation has largely failed to drive higher environmental standards, leaving no option but to look for additional regulation to deliver the change needed,\u201d says Mark Thomas. \u201cThe illegal killing of birds of prey should result in sanctions, including licence revocation for a defined period.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
All parties will monitor the impact in Scotland, where licensing legislation for driven grouse shooting will begin in 2023. <\/p>\n\nReleasing young pheasants <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nThe RSPB has also called for: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\u2022 <\/strong>Additional regulation for pheasant and partridge shooting, an activity that annually involves the release of up to 60 million non-native game birds across the UK. \u2022 <\/strong>Better sentencing guidelines for magistrates, so that more prison sentences, rather than fines and community service orders, are issued.
\u2022 <\/strong>A legal requirement for traps and users to be registered with the police and better enforcement of existing rules. <\/p>\n\nHave your say? <\/strong><\/em>What do you think about the issues raised here? Write to us or email editor@countryfile.com <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n
Persecution and poisoning of birds of prey remains high, according to the 2021 RSPB Bird Crime report<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":22547,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","purple_page_number":"46","purple_custom_meta_purple_page_number":"46","purple_seq_number":"1","purple_custom_meta_purple_seq_number":"1","purple_source_article":"article_46-1.xml","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_article":"article_46-1.xml","purple_source_issue":"February-2023","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_issue":"February-2023","purple_external_id":"February-2023-46-1","purple_custom_meta_purple_external_id":"February-2023-46-1","purple_issue_code":"|0000084065||","purple_custom_meta_purple_issue_code":"|0000084065||","purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_custom_meta_purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_custom_meta_purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_web_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_web_product":"","purple_publication_id":"91da22fd-9e7f-40d1-a93f-fc46e9516d91","purple_migrated":"","kt_blocks_editor_width":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2023-01-10T18:04:52Z","apple_news_article-theme":"","apple_news_api_id":"9b551ed4-ee0f-4861-9d32-3d8206546638","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2023-01-25T14:26:13Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADQ==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/Am1Ue1O4PSGGdMj2CBlRmOA","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":true,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_article_theme":"","apple_news_sections":"[]"},"categories":[27],"tags":[14],"apple_news_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"6","apple_news_title":""},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg",1518,907,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-300x179.jpg",300,179,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-768x459.jpg",768,459,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-1024x612.jpg",800,478,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg",1518,907,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg",1518,907,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Persecution and poisoning of birds of prey remains high, according to the 2021 RSPB Bird Crime report","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22557"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22557"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22557\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23037,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22557\/revisions\/23037"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22547"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22557"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22557"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22557"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n16 red kites<\/span><\/h6>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n7 peregrines<\/span><\/h6>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n3 goshawks<\/span><\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nDeaths include 50 buzzards, 16 red kites, seven peregrines and three goshawks. Rare hen harriers, golden eagles and white-tailed eagles continue to be affected. In Scotland, a golden eagle was found poisoned in the Cairngorms National Park; 68 golden eagles have been illegally killed in Scotland since 1981. \u201cThe figures are a fraction of the true number,\u201d says Mark Thomas, head of RSPB investigations. \u201cWhen tagged birds are targeted they simply stop moving or the tag stops working. But tagged birds are a fraction of the wider raptor population. Many, many more untagged birds are illegally killed.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
<\/p>\n\n
<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\nIn focus: the hen harrier <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nPersecution continues to affect the recovery of hen harriers, according to the RSPB report: \u201cReports for over two decades have identified persecution as the main factor suppressing the UK hen harrier population.\u201d GPS satellite tagging continues to reveal suspicious disappearances of young hen harriers, including Asta, whose government-funded tag was later found attached to a dead crow. Her body was never recovered. The RSPB says the circumstances were \u201chighly suspicious\u201d. The Moorland Association\u2019s Amanda Anderson says: \u201cThe breeding success of hen harriers in the uplands \u2013 the best for generations \u2013 is a real cause for celebration. Land managed for grouse is a haven for birds of prey.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n<\/p>\n\nThese buzzard and red kite carcasses were recovered from a mass grave in Wiltshire <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nWHO IS TO BLAME? <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\nAccording to the RSPB, 71% of incidents relate to game-bird shooting. \u201cBirds of prey are persecuted because they are perceived to be a threat to the stocks of pheasants, partridges and red grouse,\u201d says the report. <\/p>\n\n
The two worst counties based on 2021 data \u2013 Norfolk (13 incidents) and Dorset (12 incidents) \u2013 are lowland areas, dominated by pheasant and partridge shooting, followed by North Yorkshire (10 incidents), which includes grouse, pheasant and partridge shooting. Five individuals, all gamekeepers, were prosecuted for raptor-related offences. One incident was caught on camera by the RSPB, showing a gamekeeper beating buzzards to death in a trap in Nottinghamshire. A prosecution this year involved a gruesome mass grave of dead raptors (at least 11 buzzards and four red kites) down a well in Wiltshire; gamekeeper Archie Watson received a 12-month community order and was ordered to pay \u00a3393 costs. He pleaded guilty to offences relating to the possession of dead birds of prey.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n
\u201cThe figures are a fraction of the true number. Many more untagged birds are illegally killed\u201d <\/span><\/p>Mark Thomas, RSPB<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\nWHAT DOES THE SHOOTING INDUSTRY SAY? <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\nAim to Sustain, a coalition of landowner and shooting organisations, says: \u201cAny incident of raptor persecution is to be condemned and the game-shooting sector is clear that the weight of the law should be applied to those who indulge in such activity. There was a reduction in the number of incidents in 2021, which should be welcomed.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
The Moorland Association\u2019s director Amanda Anderson says there is \u201cmore work to be done\u201d, but the trend of prosecution is down, particularly in the uplands. \u201cIt is notable that many of the incidents reported do not occur on land managed for grouse shooting,\u201d she says. Anderson feels the RSPB report does \u201cnot reflect satisfactorily the continued growth in the UK\u2019s bird of prey population\u201d. <\/p>\n\n
In response, the RSPB\u2019s Mark Thomas says: \u201cOur figure of 71% relates to cases where we are able to prove a watertight link to game-bird shooting. In many other cases, we believe there is a strong likelihood that it happened in relation to game-bird shooting.\u201d <\/p>\n\n<\/div>\nThe curious death of an eagle in Dorset <\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nClaire Dinsdale, a former wildlife-crime officer with Dorset Police and now at the National Wildlife Crime Unit, expressed frustration over the investigation into the death of a white-tailed eagle in Dorset in January 2022. Although blood tests showed the bird had seven times the lethal dose of the rat poison brodifacoum, a Dorset Police investigation concluded there was \u201cinsufficient evidence\u201d to prove a wilful poisoning had taken place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the time, West Dorset MP Chris Loder said Dorset was not a place for eagles to be introduced and that \u201cpolice should instead focus resources on targeting county lines drug networks\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe eagle case was shut down prematurely in my view,\u201d said Dinsdale on Twitter, \u201cand the planned multi-agency search I had arranged was cancelled. It is clear to anyone with a basic understanding of wildlife crime that Dorset had a problem.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\nGrouse moors face regulation <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nCLAMPING DOWN? <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\nThe RSPB report concludes: \u201cIt is clear that raptor persecution is deeply rooted and will persist without urgent, meaningful action to clamp down on the individuals and businesses responsible.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
The RSPB has called for the licensing of driven grouse moors. \u201cSelf-regulation has largely failed to drive higher environmental standards, leaving no option but to look for additional regulation to deliver the change needed,\u201d says Mark Thomas. \u201cThe illegal killing of birds of prey should result in sanctions, including licence revocation for a defined period.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
All parties will monitor the impact in Scotland, where licensing legislation for driven grouse shooting will begin in 2023. <\/p>\n\nReleasing young pheasants <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nThe RSPB has also called for: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\u2022 <\/strong>Additional regulation for pheasant and partridge shooting, an activity that annually involves the release of up to 60 million non-native game birds across the UK. \u2022 <\/strong>Better sentencing guidelines for magistrates, so that more prison sentences, rather than fines and community service orders, are issued.
\u2022 <\/strong>A legal requirement for traps and users to be registered with the police and better enforcement of existing rules. <\/p>\n\nHave your say? <\/strong><\/em>What do you think about the issues raised here? Write to us or email editor@countryfile.com <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n
Persecution and poisoning of birds of prey remains high, according to the 2021 RSPB Bird Crime report<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":22547,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","purple_page_number":"46","purple_custom_meta_purple_page_number":"46","purple_seq_number":"1","purple_custom_meta_purple_seq_number":"1","purple_source_article":"article_46-1.xml","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_article":"article_46-1.xml","purple_source_issue":"February-2023","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_issue":"February-2023","purple_external_id":"February-2023-46-1","purple_custom_meta_purple_external_id":"February-2023-46-1","purple_issue_code":"|0000084065||","purple_custom_meta_purple_issue_code":"|0000084065||","purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_custom_meta_purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_custom_meta_purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_web_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_web_product":"","purple_publication_id":"91da22fd-9e7f-40d1-a93f-fc46e9516d91","purple_migrated":"","kt_blocks_editor_width":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2023-01-10T18:04:52Z","apple_news_article-theme":"","apple_news_api_id":"9b551ed4-ee0f-4861-9d32-3d8206546638","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2023-01-25T14:26:13Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADQ==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/Am1Ue1O4PSGGdMj2CBlRmOA","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":true,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_article_theme":"","apple_news_sections":"[]"},"categories":[27],"tags":[14],"apple_news_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"6","apple_news_title":""},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg",1518,907,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-300x179.jpg",300,179,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-768x459.jpg",768,459,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-1024x612.jpg",800,478,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg",1518,907,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg",1518,907,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Persecution and poisoning of birds of prey remains high, according to the 2021 RSPB Bird Crime report","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22557"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22557"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22557\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23037,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22557\/revisions\/23037"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22547"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22557"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22557"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22557"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n7 peregrines<\/span><\/h6>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n3 goshawks<\/span><\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nDeaths include 50 buzzards, 16 red kites, seven peregrines and three goshawks. Rare hen harriers, golden eagles and white-tailed eagles continue to be affected. In Scotland, a golden eagle was found poisoned in the Cairngorms National Park; 68 golden eagles have been illegally killed in Scotland since 1981. \u201cThe figures are a fraction of the true number,\u201d says Mark Thomas, head of RSPB investigations. \u201cWhen tagged birds are targeted they simply stop moving or the tag stops working. But tagged birds are a fraction of the wider raptor population. Many, many more untagged birds are illegally killed.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
<\/p>\n\n
<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\nIn focus: the hen harrier <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nPersecution continues to affect the recovery of hen harriers, according to the RSPB report: \u201cReports for over two decades have identified persecution as the main factor suppressing the UK hen harrier population.\u201d GPS satellite tagging continues to reveal suspicious disappearances of young hen harriers, including Asta, whose government-funded tag was later found attached to a dead crow. Her body was never recovered. The RSPB says the circumstances were \u201chighly suspicious\u201d. The Moorland Association\u2019s Amanda Anderson says: \u201cThe breeding success of hen harriers in the uplands \u2013 the best for generations \u2013 is a real cause for celebration. Land managed for grouse is a haven for birds of prey.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n<\/p>\n\nThese buzzard and red kite carcasses were recovered from a mass grave in Wiltshire <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nWHO IS TO BLAME? <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\nAccording to the RSPB, 71% of incidents relate to game-bird shooting. \u201cBirds of prey are persecuted because they are perceived to be a threat to the stocks of pheasants, partridges and red grouse,\u201d says the report. <\/p>\n\n
The two worst counties based on 2021 data \u2013 Norfolk (13 incidents) and Dorset (12 incidents) \u2013 are lowland areas, dominated by pheasant and partridge shooting, followed by North Yorkshire (10 incidents), which includes grouse, pheasant and partridge shooting. Five individuals, all gamekeepers, were prosecuted for raptor-related offences. One incident was caught on camera by the RSPB, showing a gamekeeper beating buzzards to death in a trap in Nottinghamshire. A prosecution this year involved a gruesome mass grave of dead raptors (at least 11 buzzards and four red kites) down a well in Wiltshire; gamekeeper Archie Watson received a 12-month community order and was ordered to pay \u00a3393 costs. He pleaded guilty to offences relating to the possession of dead birds of prey.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n
\u201cThe figures are a fraction of the true number. Many more untagged birds are illegally killed\u201d <\/span><\/p>Mark Thomas, RSPB<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\nWHAT DOES THE SHOOTING INDUSTRY SAY? <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\nAim to Sustain, a coalition of landowner and shooting organisations, says: \u201cAny incident of raptor persecution is to be condemned and the game-shooting sector is clear that the weight of the law should be applied to those who indulge in such activity. There was a reduction in the number of incidents in 2021, which should be welcomed.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
The Moorland Association\u2019s director Amanda Anderson says there is \u201cmore work to be done\u201d, but the trend of prosecution is down, particularly in the uplands. \u201cIt is notable that many of the incidents reported do not occur on land managed for grouse shooting,\u201d she says. Anderson feels the RSPB report does \u201cnot reflect satisfactorily the continued growth in the UK\u2019s bird of prey population\u201d. <\/p>\n\n
In response, the RSPB\u2019s Mark Thomas says: \u201cOur figure of 71% relates to cases where we are able to prove a watertight link to game-bird shooting. In many other cases, we believe there is a strong likelihood that it happened in relation to game-bird shooting.\u201d <\/p>\n\n<\/div>\nThe curious death of an eagle in Dorset <\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nClaire Dinsdale, a former wildlife-crime officer with Dorset Police and now at the National Wildlife Crime Unit, expressed frustration over the investigation into the death of a white-tailed eagle in Dorset in January 2022. Although blood tests showed the bird had seven times the lethal dose of the rat poison brodifacoum, a Dorset Police investigation concluded there was \u201cinsufficient evidence\u201d to prove a wilful poisoning had taken place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the time, West Dorset MP Chris Loder said Dorset was not a place for eagles to be introduced and that \u201cpolice should instead focus resources on targeting county lines drug networks\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe eagle case was shut down prematurely in my view,\u201d said Dinsdale on Twitter, \u201cand the planned multi-agency search I had arranged was cancelled. It is clear to anyone with a basic understanding of wildlife crime that Dorset had a problem.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\nGrouse moors face regulation <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nCLAMPING DOWN? <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\nThe RSPB report concludes: \u201cIt is clear that raptor persecution is deeply rooted and will persist without urgent, meaningful action to clamp down on the individuals and businesses responsible.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
The RSPB has called for the licensing of driven grouse moors. \u201cSelf-regulation has largely failed to drive higher environmental standards, leaving no option but to look for additional regulation to deliver the change needed,\u201d says Mark Thomas. \u201cThe illegal killing of birds of prey should result in sanctions, including licence revocation for a defined period.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
All parties will monitor the impact in Scotland, where licensing legislation for driven grouse shooting will begin in 2023. <\/p>\n\nReleasing young pheasants <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nThe RSPB has also called for: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\u2022 <\/strong>Additional regulation for pheasant and partridge shooting, an activity that annually involves the release of up to 60 million non-native game birds across the UK. \u2022 <\/strong>Better sentencing guidelines for magistrates, so that more prison sentences, rather than fines and community service orders, are issued.
\u2022 <\/strong>A legal requirement for traps and users to be registered with the police and better enforcement of existing rules. <\/p>\n\nHave your say? <\/strong><\/em>What do you think about the issues raised here? Write to us or email editor@countryfile.com <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n
Persecution and poisoning of birds of prey remains high, according to the 2021 RSPB Bird Crime report<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":22547,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","purple_page_number":"46","purple_custom_meta_purple_page_number":"46","purple_seq_number":"1","purple_custom_meta_purple_seq_number":"1","purple_source_article":"article_46-1.xml","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_article":"article_46-1.xml","purple_source_issue":"February-2023","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_issue":"February-2023","purple_external_id":"February-2023-46-1","purple_custom_meta_purple_external_id":"February-2023-46-1","purple_issue_code":"|0000084065||","purple_custom_meta_purple_issue_code":"|0000084065||","purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_custom_meta_purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_custom_meta_purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_web_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_web_product":"","purple_publication_id":"91da22fd-9e7f-40d1-a93f-fc46e9516d91","purple_migrated":"","kt_blocks_editor_width":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2023-01-10T18:04:52Z","apple_news_article-theme":"","apple_news_api_id":"9b551ed4-ee0f-4861-9d32-3d8206546638","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2023-01-25T14:26:13Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADQ==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/Am1Ue1O4PSGGdMj2CBlRmOA","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":true,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_article_theme":"","apple_news_sections":"[]"},"categories":[27],"tags":[14],"apple_news_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"6","apple_news_title":""},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg",1518,907,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-300x179.jpg",300,179,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-768x459.jpg",768,459,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-1024x612.jpg",800,478,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg",1518,907,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg",1518,907,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Persecution and poisoning of birds of prey remains high, according to the 2021 RSPB Bird Crime report","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22557"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22557"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22557\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23037,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22557\/revisions\/23037"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22547"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22557"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22557"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22557"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n3 goshawks<\/span><\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nDeaths include 50 buzzards, 16 red kites, seven peregrines and three goshawks. Rare hen harriers, golden eagles and white-tailed eagles continue to be affected. In Scotland, a golden eagle was found poisoned in the Cairngorms National Park; 68 golden eagles have been illegally killed in Scotland since 1981. \u201cThe figures are a fraction of the true number,\u201d says Mark Thomas, head of RSPB investigations. \u201cWhen tagged birds are targeted they simply stop moving or the tag stops working. But tagged birds are a fraction of the wider raptor population. Many, many more untagged birds are illegally killed.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
<\/p>\n\n
<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\nIn focus: the hen harrier <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nPersecution continues to affect the recovery of hen harriers, according to the RSPB report: \u201cReports for over two decades have identified persecution as the main factor suppressing the UK hen harrier population.\u201d GPS satellite tagging continues to reveal suspicious disappearances of young hen harriers, including Asta, whose government-funded tag was later found attached to a dead crow. Her body was never recovered. The RSPB says the circumstances were \u201chighly suspicious\u201d. The Moorland Association\u2019s Amanda Anderson says: \u201cThe breeding success of hen harriers in the uplands \u2013 the best for generations \u2013 is a real cause for celebration. Land managed for grouse is a haven for birds of prey.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n<\/p>\n\nThese buzzard and red kite carcasses were recovered from a mass grave in Wiltshire <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nWHO IS TO BLAME? <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\nAccording to the RSPB, 71% of incidents relate to game-bird shooting. \u201cBirds of prey are persecuted because they are perceived to be a threat to the stocks of pheasants, partridges and red grouse,\u201d says the report. <\/p>\n\n
The two worst counties based on 2021 data \u2013 Norfolk (13 incidents) and Dorset (12 incidents) \u2013 are lowland areas, dominated by pheasant and partridge shooting, followed by North Yorkshire (10 incidents), which includes grouse, pheasant and partridge shooting. Five individuals, all gamekeepers, were prosecuted for raptor-related offences. One incident was caught on camera by the RSPB, showing a gamekeeper beating buzzards to death in a trap in Nottinghamshire. A prosecution this year involved a gruesome mass grave of dead raptors (at least 11 buzzards and four red kites) down a well in Wiltshire; gamekeeper Archie Watson received a 12-month community order and was ordered to pay \u00a3393 costs. He pleaded guilty to offences relating to the possession of dead birds of prey.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n
\u201cThe figures are a fraction of the true number. Many more untagged birds are illegally killed\u201d <\/span><\/p>Mark Thomas, RSPB<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\nWHAT DOES THE SHOOTING INDUSTRY SAY? <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\nAim to Sustain, a coalition of landowner and shooting organisations, says: \u201cAny incident of raptor persecution is to be condemned and the game-shooting sector is clear that the weight of the law should be applied to those who indulge in such activity. There was a reduction in the number of incidents in 2021, which should be welcomed.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
The Moorland Association\u2019s director Amanda Anderson says there is \u201cmore work to be done\u201d, but the trend of prosecution is down, particularly in the uplands. \u201cIt is notable that many of the incidents reported do not occur on land managed for grouse shooting,\u201d she says. Anderson feels the RSPB report does \u201cnot reflect satisfactorily the continued growth in the UK\u2019s bird of prey population\u201d. <\/p>\n\n
In response, the RSPB\u2019s Mark Thomas says: \u201cOur figure of 71% relates to cases where we are able to prove a watertight link to game-bird shooting. In many other cases, we believe there is a strong likelihood that it happened in relation to game-bird shooting.\u201d <\/p>\n\n<\/div>\nThe curious death of an eagle in Dorset <\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nClaire Dinsdale, a former wildlife-crime officer with Dorset Police and now at the National Wildlife Crime Unit, expressed frustration over the investigation into the death of a white-tailed eagle in Dorset in January 2022. Although blood tests showed the bird had seven times the lethal dose of the rat poison brodifacoum, a Dorset Police investigation concluded there was \u201cinsufficient evidence\u201d to prove a wilful poisoning had taken place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the time, West Dorset MP Chris Loder said Dorset was not a place for eagles to be introduced and that \u201cpolice should instead focus resources on targeting county lines drug networks\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe eagle case was shut down prematurely in my view,\u201d said Dinsdale on Twitter, \u201cand the planned multi-agency search I had arranged was cancelled. It is clear to anyone with a basic understanding of wildlife crime that Dorset had a problem.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\nGrouse moors face regulation <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nCLAMPING DOWN? <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\nThe RSPB report concludes: \u201cIt is clear that raptor persecution is deeply rooted and will persist without urgent, meaningful action to clamp down on the individuals and businesses responsible.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
The RSPB has called for the licensing of driven grouse moors. \u201cSelf-regulation has largely failed to drive higher environmental standards, leaving no option but to look for additional regulation to deliver the change needed,\u201d says Mark Thomas. \u201cThe illegal killing of birds of prey should result in sanctions, including licence revocation for a defined period.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
All parties will monitor the impact in Scotland, where licensing legislation for driven grouse shooting will begin in 2023. <\/p>\n\nReleasing young pheasants <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nThe RSPB has also called for: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\u2022 <\/strong>Additional regulation for pheasant and partridge shooting, an activity that annually involves the release of up to 60 million non-native game birds across the UK. \u2022 <\/strong>Better sentencing guidelines for magistrates, so that more prison sentences, rather than fines and community service orders, are issued.
\u2022 <\/strong>A legal requirement for traps and users to be registered with the police and better enforcement of existing rules. <\/p>\n\nHave your say? <\/strong><\/em>What do you think about the issues raised here? Write to us or email editor@countryfile.com <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n
Persecution and poisoning of birds of prey remains high, according to the 2021 RSPB Bird Crime report<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":22547,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","purple_page_number":"46","purple_custom_meta_purple_page_number":"46","purple_seq_number":"1","purple_custom_meta_purple_seq_number":"1","purple_source_article":"article_46-1.xml","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_article":"article_46-1.xml","purple_source_issue":"February-2023","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_issue":"February-2023","purple_external_id":"February-2023-46-1","purple_custom_meta_purple_external_id":"February-2023-46-1","purple_issue_code":"|0000084065||","purple_custom_meta_purple_issue_code":"|0000084065||","purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_custom_meta_purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_custom_meta_purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_web_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_web_product":"","purple_publication_id":"91da22fd-9e7f-40d1-a93f-fc46e9516d91","purple_migrated":"","kt_blocks_editor_width":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2023-01-10T18:04:52Z","apple_news_article-theme":"","apple_news_api_id":"9b551ed4-ee0f-4861-9d32-3d8206546638","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2023-01-25T14:26:13Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADQ==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/Am1Ue1O4PSGGdMj2CBlRmOA","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":true,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_article_theme":"","apple_news_sections":"[]"},"categories":[27],"tags":[14],"apple_news_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"6","apple_news_title":""},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg",1518,907,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-300x179.jpg",300,179,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-768x459.jpg",768,459,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-1024x612.jpg",800,478,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg",1518,907,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg",1518,907,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Persecution and poisoning of birds of prey remains high, according to the 2021 RSPB Bird Crime report","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22557"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22557"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22557\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23037,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22557\/revisions\/23037"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22547"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22557"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22557"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22557"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
In focus: the hen harrier <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nPersecution continues to affect the recovery of hen harriers, according to the RSPB report: \u201cReports for over two decades have identified persecution as the main factor suppressing the UK hen harrier population.\u201d GPS satellite tagging continues to reveal suspicious disappearances of young hen harriers, including Asta, whose government-funded tag was later found attached to a dead crow. Her body was never recovered. The RSPB says the circumstances were \u201chighly suspicious\u201d. The Moorland Association\u2019s Amanda Anderson says: \u201cThe breeding success of hen harriers in the uplands \u2013 the best for generations \u2013 is a real cause for celebration. Land managed for grouse is a haven for birds of prey.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n<\/p>\n\nThese buzzard and red kite carcasses were recovered from a mass grave in Wiltshire <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nWHO IS TO BLAME? <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\nAccording to the RSPB, 71% of incidents relate to game-bird shooting. \u201cBirds of prey are persecuted because they are perceived to be a threat to the stocks of pheasants, partridges and red grouse,\u201d says the report. <\/p>\n\n
The two worst counties based on 2021 data \u2013 Norfolk (13 incidents) and Dorset (12 incidents) \u2013 are lowland areas, dominated by pheasant and partridge shooting, followed by North Yorkshire (10 incidents), which includes grouse, pheasant and partridge shooting. Five individuals, all gamekeepers, were prosecuted for raptor-related offences. One incident was caught on camera by the RSPB, showing a gamekeeper beating buzzards to death in a trap in Nottinghamshire. A prosecution this year involved a gruesome mass grave of dead raptors (at least 11 buzzards and four red kites) down a well in Wiltshire; gamekeeper Archie Watson received a 12-month community order and was ordered to pay \u00a3393 costs. He pleaded guilty to offences relating to the possession of dead birds of prey.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n
\u201cThe figures are a fraction of the true number. Many more untagged birds are illegally killed\u201d <\/span><\/p>Mark Thomas, RSPB<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\nWHAT DOES THE SHOOTING INDUSTRY SAY? <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\nAim to Sustain, a coalition of landowner and shooting organisations, says: \u201cAny incident of raptor persecution is to be condemned and the game-shooting sector is clear that the weight of the law should be applied to those who indulge in such activity. There was a reduction in the number of incidents in 2021, which should be welcomed.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
The Moorland Association\u2019s director Amanda Anderson says there is \u201cmore work to be done\u201d, but the trend of prosecution is down, particularly in the uplands. \u201cIt is notable that many of the incidents reported do not occur on land managed for grouse shooting,\u201d she says. Anderson feels the RSPB report does \u201cnot reflect satisfactorily the continued growth in the UK\u2019s bird of prey population\u201d. <\/p>\n\n
In response, the RSPB\u2019s Mark Thomas says: \u201cOur figure of 71% relates to cases where we are able to prove a watertight link to game-bird shooting. In many other cases, we believe there is a strong likelihood that it happened in relation to game-bird shooting.\u201d <\/p>\n\n<\/div>\nThe curious death of an eagle in Dorset <\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nClaire Dinsdale, a former wildlife-crime officer with Dorset Police and now at the National Wildlife Crime Unit, expressed frustration over the investigation into the death of a white-tailed eagle in Dorset in January 2022. Although blood tests showed the bird had seven times the lethal dose of the rat poison brodifacoum, a Dorset Police investigation concluded there was \u201cinsufficient evidence\u201d to prove a wilful poisoning had taken place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the time, West Dorset MP Chris Loder said Dorset was not a place for eagles to be introduced and that \u201cpolice should instead focus resources on targeting county lines drug networks\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe eagle case was shut down prematurely in my view,\u201d said Dinsdale on Twitter, \u201cand the planned multi-agency search I had arranged was cancelled. It is clear to anyone with a basic understanding of wildlife crime that Dorset had a problem.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\nGrouse moors face regulation <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nCLAMPING DOWN? <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\nThe RSPB report concludes: \u201cIt is clear that raptor persecution is deeply rooted and will persist without urgent, meaningful action to clamp down on the individuals and businesses responsible.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
The RSPB has called for the licensing of driven grouse moors. \u201cSelf-regulation has largely failed to drive higher environmental standards, leaving no option but to look for additional regulation to deliver the change needed,\u201d says Mark Thomas. \u201cThe illegal killing of birds of prey should result in sanctions, including licence revocation for a defined period.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
All parties will monitor the impact in Scotland, where licensing legislation for driven grouse shooting will begin in 2023. <\/p>\n\nReleasing young pheasants <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nThe RSPB has also called for: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\u2022 <\/strong>Additional regulation for pheasant and partridge shooting, an activity that annually involves the release of up to 60 million non-native game birds across the UK. \u2022 <\/strong>Better sentencing guidelines for magistrates, so that more prison sentences, rather than fines and community service orders, are issued.
\u2022 <\/strong>A legal requirement for traps and users to be registered with the police and better enforcement of existing rules. <\/p>\n\nHave your say? <\/strong><\/em>What do you think about the issues raised here? Write to us or email editor@countryfile.com <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n
Persecution and poisoning of birds of prey remains high, according to the 2021 RSPB Bird Crime report<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":22547,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","purple_page_number":"46","purple_custom_meta_purple_page_number":"46","purple_seq_number":"1","purple_custom_meta_purple_seq_number":"1","purple_source_article":"article_46-1.xml","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_article":"article_46-1.xml","purple_source_issue":"February-2023","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_issue":"February-2023","purple_external_id":"February-2023-46-1","purple_custom_meta_purple_external_id":"February-2023-46-1","purple_issue_code":"|0000084065||","purple_custom_meta_purple_issue_code":"|0000084065||","purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_custom_meta_purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_custom_meta_purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_web_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_web_product":"","purple_publication_id":"91da22fd-9e7f-40d1-a93f-fc46e9516d91","purple_migrated":"","kt_blocks_editor_width":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2023-01-10T18:04:52Z","apple_news_article-theme":"","apple_news_api_id":"9b551ed4-ee0f-4861-9d32-3d8206546638","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2023-01-25T14:26:13Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADQ==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/Am1Ue1O4PSGGdMj2CBlRmOA","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":true,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_article_theme":"","apple_news_sections":"[]"},"categories":[27],"tags":[14],"apple_news_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"6","apple_news_title":""},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg",1518,907,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-300x179.jpg",300,179,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-768x459.jpg",768,459,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-1024x612.jpg",800,478,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg",1518,907,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg",1518,907,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Persecution and poisoning of birds of prey remains high, according to the 2021 RSPB Bird Crime report","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22557"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22557"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22557\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23037,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22557\/revisions\/23037"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22547"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22557"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22557"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22557"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nPersecution continues to affect the recovery of hen harriers, according to the RSPB report: \u201cReports for over two decades have identified persecution as the main factor suppressing the UK hen harrier population.\u201d GPS satellite tagging continues to reveal suspicious disappearances of young hen harriers, including Asta, whose government-funded tag was later found attached to a dead crow. Her body was never recovered. The RSPB says the circumstances were \u201chighly suspicious\u201d. The Moorland Association\u2019s Amanda Anderson says: \u201cThe breeding success of hen harriers in the uplands \u2013 the best for generations \u2013 is a real cause for celebration. Land managed for grouse is a haven for birds of prey.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n <\/p>\n\n According to the RSPB, 71% of incidents relate to game-bird shooting. \u201cBirds of prey are persecuted because they are perceived to be a threat to the stocks of pheasants, partridges and red grouse,\u201d says the report. <\/p>\n\n The two worst counties based on 2021 data \u2013 Norfolk (13 incidents) and Dorset (12 incidents) \u2013 are lowland areas, dominated by pheasant and partridge shooting, followed by North Yorkshire (10 incidents), which includes grouse, pheasant and partridge shooting. Five individuals, all gamekeepers, were prosecuted for raptor-related offences. One incident was caught on camera by the RSPB, showing a gamekeeper beating buzzards to death in a trap in Nottinghamshire. A prosecution this year involved a gruesome mass grave of dead raptors (at least 11 buzzards and four red kites) down a well in Wiltshire; gamekeeper Archie Watson received a 12-month community order and was ordered to pay \u00a3393 costs. He pleaded guilty to offences relating to the possession of dead birds of prey.<\/span><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\n\n \u201cThe figures are a fraction of the true number. Many more untagged birds are illegally killed\u201d <\/span><\/p>Mark Thomas, RSPB<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n Aim to Sustain, a coalition of landowner and shooting organisations, says: \u201cAny incident of raptor persecution is to be condemned and the game-shooting sector is clear that the weight of the law should be applied to those who indulge in such activity. There was a reduction in the number of incidents in 2021, which should be welcomed.\u201d <\/p>\n\n The Moorland Association\u2019s director Amanda Anderson says there is \u201cmore work to be done\u201d, but the trend of prosecution is down, particularly in the uplands. \u201cIt is notable that many of the incidents reported do not occur on land managed for grouse shooting,\u201d she says. Anderson feels the RSPB report does \u201cnot reflect satisfactorily the continued growth in the UK\u2019s bird of prey population\u201d. <\/p>\n\n In response, the RSPB\u2019s Mark Thomas says: \u201cOur figure of 71% relates to cases where we are able to prove a watertight link to game-bird shooting. In many other cases, we believe there is a strong likelihood that it happened in relation to game-bird shooting.\u201d <\/p>\n\n Claire Dinsdale, a former wildlife-crime officer with Dorset Police and now at the National Wildlife Crime Unit, expressed frustration over the investigation into the death of a white-tailed eagle in Dorset in January 2022. Although blood tests showed the bird had seven times the lethal dose of the rat poison brodifacoum, a Dorset Police investigation concluded there was \u201cinsufficient evidence\u201d to prove a wilful poisoning had taken place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At the time, West Dorset MP Chris Loder said Dorset was not a place for eagles to be introduced and that \u201cpolice should instead focus resources on targeting county lines drug networks\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe eagle case was shut down prematurely in my view,\u201d said Dinsdale on Twitter, \u201cand the planned multi-agency search I had arranged was cancelled. It is clear to anyone with a basic understanding of wildlife crime that Dorset had a problem.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n The RSPB report concludes: \u201cIt is clear that raptor persecution is deeply rooted and will persist without urgent, meaningful action to clamp down on the individuals and businesses responsible.\u201d <\/p>\n\n The RSPB has called for the licensing of driven grouse moors. \u201cSelf-regulation has largely failed to drive higher environmental standards, leaving no option but to look for additional regulation to deliver the change needed,\u201d says Mark Thomas. \u201cThe illegal killing of birds of prey should result in sanctions, including licence revocation for a defined period.\u201d <\/p>\n\n All parties will monitor the impact in Scotland, where licensing legislation for driven grouse shooting will begin in 2023. <\/p>\n\n The RSPB has also called for: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n \u2022 <\/strong>Additional regulation for pheasant and partridge shooting, an activity that annually involves the release of up to 60 million non-native game birds across the UK. \u2022 <\/strong>Better sentencing guidelines for magistrates, so that more prison sentences, rather than fines and community service orders, are issued. Have your say? <\/strong><\/em>What do you think about the issues raised here? Write to us or email editor@countryfile.com <\/strong><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\n\n Persecution and poisoning of birds of prey remains high, according to the 2021 RSPB Bird Crime report<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":22547,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","purple_page_number":"46","purple_custom_meta_purple_page_number":"46","purple_seq_number":"1","purple_custom_meta_purple_seq_number":"1","purple_source_article":"article_46-1.xml","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_article":"article_46-1.xml","purple_source_issue":"February-2023","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_issue":"February-2023","purple_external_id":"February-2023-46-1","purple_custom_meta_purple_external_id":"February-2023-46-1","purple_issue_code":"|0000084065||","purple_custom_meta_purple_issue_code":"|0000084065||","purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_custom_meta_purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_custom_meta_purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.199","purple_web_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_web_product":"","purple_publication_id":"91da22fd-9e7f-40d1-a93f-fc46e9516d91","purple_migrated":"","kt_blocks_editor_width":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2023-01-10T18:04:52Z","apple_news_article-theme":"","apple_news_api_id":"9b551ed4-ee0f-4861-9d32-3d8206546638","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2023-01-25T14:26:13Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADQ==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/Am1Ue1O4PSGGdMj2CBlRmOA","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":true,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_article_theme":"","apple_news_sections":"[]"},"categories":[27],"tags":[14],"apple_news_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"6","apple_news_title":""},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg",1518,907,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-300x179.jpg",300,179,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-768x459.jpg",768,459,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11-1024x612.jpg",800,478,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg",1518,907,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/a57e67f1-0683-4f31-8125-3fb2ea470d11.jpg",1518,907,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Persecution and poisoning of birds of prey remains high, according to the 2021 RSPB Bird Crime report","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22557"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22557"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22557\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23037,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22557\/revisions\/23037"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22547"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22557"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22557"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22557"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}WHO IS TO BLAME? <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n
WHAT DOES THE SHOOTING INDUSTRY SAY? <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\nThe curious death of an eagle in Dorset <\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
CLAMPING DOWN? <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n
\u2022 <\/strong>A legal requirement for traps and users to be registered with the police and better enforcement of existing rules. <\/p>\n\n