Scotland shamed as wildlife crime unit is launched (1 Viewer)

[Chris Monk]

Scotland shamed as wildlife crime unit is launched

ALAN MacDERMID October 18 2006

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Scotland has the worst record in the UK for attacks on birds of prey, with the highest numbers of incidents recorded in Tayside, the Highlands and Strathclyde.

Figures from the RSPB show that between 1995 and 2006 there were 1113 confirmed incidents of birds of prey being poisoned, shot at or having their nests destroyed – with Scotland accounting for nearly half that figure with 494 attacks.

There were 98 incidents recorded in Tayside, 89 in the Highlands, 87 in Strathclyde and 66 in Grampian. Borders and Dumfries and Galloway both had more than 50 incidents.

The figures were released on the day a specialist unit set up to combat serious wildlife crime at home and abroad was launched in Edinburgh. The police-led National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) is the only one of its kind in the UK and promises to be a world leader in tackling poaching, persecution and illegal trading of endangered species.

The unit will gather, analyse and co-ordinate wildlife crime intelligence and support the enforcement activities of police and Revenue and Customs officers in the UK. Staff will combine national wildlife crime intelligence and expertise with law enforcement to provide investigative support to police and customs officers.

It will help ensure that criminals who are exploiting and endangering wildlife are caught and properly punished and to reduce the risk of diseases such as bird flu entering the UK through illegal trade.

The NWCU has 14 staff members, including analysts, intelligence officers and investigative support officers.

The unit was welcomed by the RSPB, with Mark Avery, the organisation's director of conservation, saying: "Persecution of birds of prey is holding back the recovery of special species. The hen harrier, golden eagle and red kite are all too frequently the victims of illegal persecution."

Launching the unit, biodiversity minister Barry Gardiner said: "Stepping up the unit's remit will facilitate greater numbers of prosecutions and go a long way in the fight to stamp out wildlife crime, but this is not something we can do alone.

"Working with partners both inside and outside of government, we are now in a prime position to tackle the perpetrators head on. We will not tolerate wildlife crime in the UK."

Lothian and Borders Police announced in April that it would host the unit from a new base in Edinburgh.

It is supported by Defra, the Scottish Executive, the Association of Chief Police Officers, HM Revenue and Customs and the Home Office.

Members of the public are encouraged to contact the Unit by e-mail with any information relating to wildlife crime at ukwildlifecrime 'at' nwcu.pnn.police.uk

 

[hampers]

A good move forward.

Let us hope they will be able to prosecute and obtain sentences which reflect the crime!

 

[edge1255]

A good move forward.

Let us hope they will be able to prosecute and obtain sentences which reflect the crime!

The problem is many of the estates are owned by foreign interests, who don't care about local wildlife, just so long as they can make a fortune from shooting. :C

 

[motacilla oenenthe]

im suprised there are still golden eagles left in scotland.

 

[Capercaillie71]

im suprised there are still golden eagles left in scotland.

There are over 400 pairs:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/scotland/action/goldeneaglesurvey.asp

 

[paulwfromtheden]

There are over 400 pairs:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/scotland/action/goldeneaglesurvey.asp

They were all hiding when I was up at Insh Marshes earlier this year :C :C

 

[motacilla oenenthe]

just seems with all the shooting that theyd be kinda leery to breed there.

 

[markho]

just seems with all the shooting that theyd be kinda leery to breed there.

They are still there , mostly on the west coast where there is hardly any gamebird estates.

 

[kas]

I am not denying this to be true. I have heard Eagles have tried to set up in my county years ago, but the keepers kept destroying nests. Apparantly my county has a bad record.

But if you were to work out the impact on population would Scotland still be the highest. ie. Scotland will be the worst persicutor of Eagles in the UK, because Scotland has nearly all the Eagles in the UK, apart from some in Ireland and I think only one in England and Wales (although correct me if I am wrong).

The same with the Hen Harrier, Scotland holds more pairs than the rest of the UK.

Its just a thought, and whatever the numbers its a disgrace.

 

[Steve G]

They are still there , mostly on the west coast where there is hardly any gamebird estates.

Gamekeeper persectution primarily undertaken by Grouse-shooting estates owned by individuals/syndicates OUTSIDE of Scotland is the main driving force behind Eagle persecution IN Scotland.

Scotland does however still hold some of the highest densities of breeding Golden Eagles in the world (Skye & Mull). The paradox (explained by persecution) is the fact that G.E density is greatest in the Inner Hebrides yet probably the richest habitat on paper for GE in Scotland should be the eastern Grampian mountains & including the high hills of Perthshire, Breadalbane & the Angus glens.

 

[Martin Thomas]

Only one lonely Golden Eagle male here in the Lake District and none in Wales. If you exclude Irish birds as they are all intrduced then the only truly wild breeding population is indeed in Scotland.

Hen harrier pairs are in the region of 750-1000 with more than 75% in Scotland. The IoM has around 50 and Ireland 75-100. England had just 12 nests this year with 46 fledged. If you work on 60% mortaility in year 1 then the English population is barely holding it's head up.

I've just enbarked on a hen harrier genetics PhD (more on this soon on the forum) with a strong forensic crime detection bias and am hopeful some of the developed techniques may well be applicable to other avian species. If only my work weren't necessary...


Martin

...Scotland will be the worst persicutor of Eagles in the UK,
because Scotland has nearly all the Eagles in the UK, apart from some in Ireland and I think only one in England and Wales (although correct me if I am wrong).

The same with the Hen Harrier, Scotland holds more pairs than the rest of the UK.

Its just a thought, and whatever the numbers its a disgrace.

 

[motacilla oenenthe]

its strange that there are none in wales. ive been to the mountains in snowdonia and it seems like perfect habitat for them.

 

[kas]

Only one lonely Golden Eagle male here in the Lake District and none in Wales. If you exclude Irish birds as they are all intrduced then the only truly wild breeding population is indeed in Scotland.

Hen harrier pairs are in the region of 750-1000 with more than 75% in Scotland. The IoM has around 50 and Ireland 75-100. England had just 12 nests this year with 46 fledged. If you work on 60% mortaility in year 1 then the English population is barely holding it's head up.

I've just enbarked on a hen harrier genetics PhD (more on this soon on the forum) with a strong forensic crime detection bias and am hopeful some of the developed techniques may well be applicable to other avian species. If only my work weren't necessary...


Martin

Thanks for that, its really usefull info.

 

[GreatHornedOwl]

From Birdlife International:

Aquila chrysaetos
GOLDEN EAGLE
SPEC 3 (1994: 3) Status Rare
Criteria <10,000 pairs
European IUCN Red List Category —
Criteria —
Global IUCN Red List Category —
Criteria —
Aquila chrysaetos has a widespread but discontinuous distribution across much of
Europe, which accounts for less than a quarter of its global breeding range. Its
European breeding population is small (as few as 8,400 pairs), but was stable between
1970–1990. Although the species declined in a handful of countries during 1990–
2000, populations were stable or increased across the majority of Europe, and the
species remained stable overall. Nevertheless, its population size renders it susceptible
to the risks affecting small populations, and consequently it is evaluated as Rare.

Some data on breeding pairs per country:

Albania 50 – 200
Andorra 3 – 3
Armenia 20 – 80
Austria 260 – 360
Azerbaijan (30 – 100)
Belarus 25 – 35
Bosnia & HG Present
Bulgaria 150 – 170
Croatia 90 – 110
Denmark 1 – 1
Estonia 35 – 45
Finland 300 – 350
France 390 – 460
Georgia 30 – 35
Germany 45 – 50
Greece 100 – 150
Hungary 3 – 5
Italy 476 – 541
Latvia 5 – 10
Liechtenstein 1 – 2
Macedonia 60 – 100
Norway 860 – 1,040
Poland 35 – 40
Portugal 46 – 48
Romania 85 – 130
Russia 500 – 1,000
Serbia & MN 90 – 110
Slovakia 90 – 95
Slovenia 25 – 35
Spain 1,300 – 1,300
Sweden 550 – 610
Switzerland 300 – 310
Turkey 2,000 – 3,000
Ukraine (3 – 5)
UK 422 – 422
Total (approx.) 8,400 – 11,000 Overall trend Stable


... with 422 pairs out of a maximum European total of 11000, it would seem that Scotland has some responsability re Golden eagles ...

 

[Simongodders]

its strange that there are none in wales. ive been to the mountains in snowdonia and it seems like perfect habitat for them.

I believe they did reside there at one time, but again, human persecution sorted that out.....correct me if I'm wrong.

I agree however, having climbed in North Wales for the past few years it would be a fantastic location for Golden Eagles. Re-introduction possibility?

 

[Martin Thomas]

Having visited the Irish Golden Eagle Reintroduction project, spoken at length with some of the people involved and seen their sterling efforts first hand, it's clear that whilst appropriate habitat is vital (which may well determine prey abundance etc), enormous efforts have been put into educating and negotiating with various landowner and farming community representatives in order to mitigate potential persecution.

As well as the obvious ecological and financial requirements, the Irish project has substantial political support (for whatever reasons) which has proved essential to the aforementioned negotiations.

It has been demonstrated that very few ex-situ species reintroductions schemes are successful (probably less than 10% worldwide) so their commencement have to be extremely justified, especially if the taking of founder animals jeapordises wild stock.

I personally would love to see golden eagles reintroduced here in the Lake District (and other areas of the UK) but fear the surrounding issues, particularly from the powerful landowning/farming lobby, will prove to be the reason it will sadly not happen in my lifetime.

I believe they did reside there at one time, but again, human persecution sorted that out.....correct me if I'm wrong.

I agree however, having climbed in North Wales for the past few years it would be a fantastic location for Golden Eagles. Re-introduction possibility?

 

[Chris Monk]

Irish Golden Eagle Project web site

Having visited the Irish Golden Eagle Reintroduction project, spoken at length with some of the people involved and seen their sterling efforts first hand, it's clear that whilst appropriate habitat is vital (which may well determine prey abundance etc), enormous efforts have been put into educating and negotiating with various landowner and farming community representatives in order to mitigate potential persecution.

As well as the obvious ecological and financial requirements, the Irish project has substantial political support (for whatever reasons) which has proved essential to the aforementioned negotiations.

It has been demonstrated that very few ex-situ species reintroductions schemes are successful (probably less than 10% worldwide) so their commencement have to be extremely justified, especially if the taking of founder animals jeapordises wild stock.

I personally would love to see golden eagles reintroduced here in the Lake District (and other areas of the UK) but fear the surrounding issues, particularly from the powerful landowning/farming lobby, will prove to be the reason it will sadly not happen in my lifetime.

You may have already seen this, but here it is anyway, the project's web site:

http://www.goldeneagle.ie/