Raptor persecution figures may be 'tip of the iceberg

British birds of prey face continued persecution due to inadequate prosecution according to a report from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Birdcrime 2016, which was released on Wednesday, showed 81 confirmed incidents of illegal raptor persecution across the UK last year. However, not one resulted in successful prosecution. It is the first time in 30 years that no-one has been prosecuted for such crimes. The RSPB report noted 40 shootings, 22 poisonings and 15 trapping incidents against raptors such as hen harriers, peregrine falcons, red kites and buzzards in 2016. Almost two-thirds (53) of the confirmed incidents took place in England, with a particular concern in North Yorkshire. In the past five years, the county has recorded the highest number of confirmed bird of prey persecution incidents in the UK, with 54 since 2012 and 19 last year alone. However, the problem was not confined...
Source: Veterinary Record - Category: Veterinary Research Tags: News section Source Type: research