North Yorkshire worst county for bird of prey killings says RSPB

This peregrine was found poisoned at Tadcaster

North Yorkshire continues to be the worst UK county for the illegal killing of birds of prey, an animal charity has said.

The RSPB's annual bird crime report recorded 26 killings in the area during 2020 - the same number as Scotland.

It said many incidents related directly to grouse shooting and proposed driven grouse moors being licensed.

The association which represents grouse moor owners said it did not believe licensing would be effective.

In 2020, 137 bird of prey killings were recorded across the UK, the highest number since the charity's first report in 1990.

Cases included 99 in England, 26 in Scotland, seven in Northern Ireland and five in Wales.

North Yorkshire has had the highest number of reported birds of prey killings for seven years.

Incidents in 2020 included five dead buzzards found on a grouse moor on the North York Moors in April, all believed to have been shot.

Also in April, a spaniel died and another became ill after consuming poisons possibly intended for birds of prey in Nidderdale.

'Zero-tolerance'

The RSPB's Mark Thomas said: "Although we have become used to the illegal killing of birds of prey, the figure for 2020 is truly shocking."

All birds of prey are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and Mr Thomas said the organisation was working with police to tackle "these awful crimes".

Buzzards, such as this one which was posioned, have also been targeted

The charity said at least 85 of the 137 confirmed deaths in the UK were in connection with land managed for or connected to game bird shooting.

Mr Thomas said the charity welcomed the Scottish Government's decision to licence driven grouse moors and said England should follow suit.

"Licensing should be conditional on compliance with wildlife protection laws, and if breached, should result in removal of the right to shoot."

'Majestic animals'

A government spokesperson said: "Raptor persecution is a wildlife crime priority for the UK.

"We recognise the importance of tackling wildlife crime, which is why we directly fund the National Wildlife Crime Unit who provide intelligence and support to police forces protecting our precious wildlife - including birds of prey.

"We are clear those found guilty of killing these majestic animals should be subject to the full force of the law."

Amanda Anderson, director of the Moorland Association, said there was a "huge amount of work" being done by grouse moor owners and managers to "eradicate incidents of raptor persecution".

"We have a zero-tolerance policy of raptor persecution and anyone who commits such a crime does not belong in the game management community," she said.

Ms Anderson said the organisation did not believe licensing would be effective.

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