Wildlife conservation: Executive criticised over failure to hit targets

A leading conservation charity has criticised the executive for failing to hit targets in its plan to halt biodiversity loss.

RSPB Northern Ireland said departments had not met 37 of 42 of targets they had set themselves.

They were in a five-year strategy intended to slow the decline of wildlife.

The charity's director says the only way now to reverse the trend was with binding targets in legislation.

Eleven per cent of species in Northern Ireland - some 272 - are now considered at risk of extinction.

They include species like the small blue butterfly and the spiny dogfish.