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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nightranger" data-source="post: 1314525" data-attributes="member: 64473">Only because the hunters have become aware of not leaving evidence around recently. Would you care to enlighten BF about the figures for previous years or do you just want to select the numbers that suit you?When you accuse the UK of not getting its house in order?  Nonsense, there are some great threads about UK raptor persecution and I have great admiration for the BF members that post news stories that may be missed by some people. There was also considerable outrage right here on BF about the fact that no charges were brought over the Sandringham hen harrier incident including some very vocal condemnation of the Royal family. I doubt you have bothered to read any of the archived threads or you would not have even made this claim. Do you want me to look the threads up and post them as links on this thread?185 or 300+? You must be clear about the figure you are working with to make any kind of sense. Incidentally, bird of prey declines are suspiciously higher around certain estates (but I add, not all estates) so the figure the RSPB quotes will certainly be close if potentially a little high. All the same, it will only take one good break of fortune and the idiot or idiots doing this will find themselves on the wrong end of a severe fine or prison sentence. It is a simple equation - the more times one commits a crime, the more chance one has of being caught (unless you illegally hunt birds in Malta it seems). Once again, I ask how many actual convictions have taken place in Malta?As a final thought here: the RSPCA is also involved in wildlife crime and they record some truly horrifying situations but what you may not realise is that these are all cases that reached court (irrespective of the end result). The RSPB is simply stating the case that it is wel aware that not all crimes are detected and quite rightly, should not be ignored just because there is no defendant in a court case. By contrast, Maltese hunters are so brazen they are indulging in intimidation and even vandalism on local reserves, which is hardly the work of individuals that think they have any risk of being convicted for their actions.</blockquote>

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