Wild In The Country documentary considers resurgence of endangered species in NI

Animals like pine martens can now be found in every county

In recent years Northern Ireland has seen a resurgence in some of its endangered species.

Birds of prey like the red kite that had vanished from our skies have been reintroduced.

And animals like the pine marten can now be found in every county.

While it is good new for nature lovers, not everyone is happy.

I have been looking at the conflict between these predators and the people they share the land with for a Radio Ulster documentary this Sunday called Wild in the Country.

I searched for red kites soaring above the Mourne Mountains in County Down.

It was not as easy as it should have been.

The RSPB began a programme to reintroduce red kites back in 2008 and since then more than 80 chicks have been released in the wild.

The population will only be sustainable once 50 breeding pairs are established.

But only about a dozen pairs are producing young.

The biggest threat to their survival is us - humans - each year birds have been found shot and poisoned, despite campaigns to stress that these birds are not a threat to livestock.

It is not only red kites.

Buzzards, peregrine falcons, white tailed eagles and a golden eagle have all been killed in Northern Ireland in recent years.

I met Robert Crofts who is a gamekeeper and advisor for the British Association for Shooting and Conservation.

The remains of a white-tailed eagle called Ingar were found near Lisnaskea in County Fermanagh in February 2015. The police believe it had been poisoned.

He said where birds of prey cause problems there needs to be proper management to stop people taking the law into their own hands.

Pine marten have been credited with the revival of another of our native species the red squirrel, as they appear to be helping to reduce the numbers of the invasive grey squirrel.

Pedigree hens

Dr David Tosh from Queen's University has been carrying out a survey of pine martens.

But where they have made a comeback, they have also come into conflict with people.

In County Fermanagh, one of my neighbours has lost several pedigree hens in recent weeks to a pine marten.

This red kite was deliberately shot in County Down

But they are a protected species. They cannot be killed or even trapped.

Across the border in County Longford, there have been calls for a cull.

Even though tough new wildlife legislation was introduced in Northern Ireland back in 2011, no-one has ever been prosecuted for killing these protected species.

That is frustrating for many conservationists who believe the PSNI should have dedicated wildlife officers.

The police say they need more people to report wildlife crime.

You can hear more about the debate surrounding these endangered species in the Stories in Sound documentary, Wild In The Country, on BBC Radio Ulster via the I-Player.