Shocking raptor persecution (12 Viewers)

[Dave H]

Just read this on the BBC website:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8676871.stm

3 golden eagles and other raptors found dead near Skibo Castle. Utterly outrageous. I'll be interested to see the details of the investigation but if this is confirmed as yet more persecution then surely it is time to say enough is enough and hand out proper and effective punishments to stamp this out.

Surely the loss of 3 eagles could be extremely damaging to the Sutherland population.

 

[SallyAnn]

There's some information about it on this blog:

http://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/

A terrible and shocking story.

 

[Irish Kite]

It appears the situation in large parts of Scotland is as grim as over here in Ireland. Such is the rapidly growing extent of the problem that authorities in both countries now need to take the gloves off and deal with the scum behind these crimes with lenghty prison sentances and massive fines:C:C

 

[captaincarot]

yet more stirling conservation work from the shooting estates the game keeper will get fined a couple of quid, the estate manager will deny all knowledge and get off scot free.

 

[Irish Kite]

It gets worse - this time in Derbyshire:

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/buzzard-poisoning.html

Its becoming more and more obvious as to why Golden Eagles are still absent from prime habitat in the North of England given this type of story and the way things are going rapidly downhill in Scotland itself:C

 

[nirofo]

What do you all expect, nobody is doing anything about it, the police are at best unwilling, but most probably couldn't care less, the majority of magistrates, sheriffs and judges are too deeply involved with the shooting fraternity in one form or another, and the RSPB won't do anything unless there's a pound or publicity in it for them !!!

Everyone seems most concerned that Malta and similar countries are killing birds, petitions are being raised everywhere, when did you last see a petition to stop the wanton killing of birds of prey in this country. How can we condemn others when we can't even get our own house in order ?

nirofo.

 

[longbow]

Good God Almighty. What did Shakespeare say? "The law's an ass." Hope you get these bottom feeders straightened out. Best of luck, I'm pulling for you.

 

[Dave H]

You begin to wonder whether it will take a human tragedy before anything useful is done about the indiscriminate use of poison in our countryside. The authorities really would have to accept a share of responsibility should that happen.

 

[John B (not the sloop)]

Everyone seems most concerned that Malta and similar countries are killing birds, petitions are being raised everywhere, when did you last see a petition to stop the wanton killing of birds of prey in this country?

nirofo.

Well the last one I saw was the RSPB's "Stop killing birds of prey" petition. It closed earlier this year.

 

[nirofo]

Well the last one I saw was the RSPB's "Stop killing birds of prey" petition. It closed earlier this year.

Yes that was really well publicised, unless you were involved with the scene as it were, you wouldn't even know it existed.

nirofo.

 

[captaincarot]

no doubt some moron will turn up telling us that educating these idiots will work.

well i have news for them, it doesn't, and it isn't, the only way to stop this from happening is to close down the estates and ban that form of shooting outright.

 

[John B (not the sloop)]

Yes that was really well publicised, unless you were involved with the scene as it were, you wouldn't even know it existed.

nirofo.

Same as most other petitions then.....

Anyhoo, the anti predator lobby is kicking-off again..........

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/7715064/RSPB-attacked-by-Country-Life.html

 

[Capercaillie71]

Yes that was really well publicised, unless you were involved with the scene as it were, you wouldn't even know it existed.

Presumably the 210,000+ people who signed it knew it existed. That's nearly twice as many people as signed the Birdlife Malta petition.

Anyway, all that is beside the point if it doesn't have any effect. If this latest case is proven as poisoning then it will certainly be the most serious case in recent years. If (by some miracle) a conviction can be achieved, a custodial sentence is essential. Otherwise the message will be that the custodial option will never be used, and raptor persecutors will continue to feel immune from risk.

 

[Farnboro John]

We've looked at this a few times and proposed and discussed a few possible different approaches such as an offence of "corporate birdlsaughter" that would make estates responsible for their employees' conduct. Fines, loss of shooting rights and even confiscation or handing over of estate management to the RSPB would also be available penalties.

A new approach might be to license gamekeepers as a trade (just as for doctors, nurses etc), so that in the event of a conviction for relevant crime they would be delicensed and lose their livelihood whether or not their fine was paid.

And obviously they should permanently lose their firearms certificate.

John

 

[Adam W]

the only way to stop this from happening is to close down the estates and ban that form of shooting outright.

Yes thats right lets just punish everyone who isnt doing anything wrong.


What do you class as that form of shooting, where do you draw the line how many people need to be involved, how organised does it have to be to classed as that form of shooting?

 

[Madonbirds]

Maybe we need to have some television programmes on this (on the main channels, too) and show the shocking evidence, for all to see. Maybe even on programmes like Springwatch, so all age groups would know what was going on.

These shooting estates can be going 6 days a week, is that really necessary?:C No wonder they think getting rid of all birds of prey is needed, as they obviously think they will run out of grouse to shoot, with the eagles around!:eek!:

Like others have said, stiffer fines and prison sentences are what is needed and maybe then the estate owner will think twice about what his/her staff are doing.

 

[Adam W]

Like others have said, stiffer fines and prison sentences are what is needed and maybe then the estate owner will think twice about what his/her staff are doing.

Very true but then couldnt the same be said of all crimes so a total overhaul of the whole system would be needed.
As serious as these crimes are and i totally agree with stiffer sentences there are worse things happening in the world that have even more laughably pathetic sentences so as pathetic as the sentences and fines might seem on the face of it relativly speaking maybe not, though i think that says more about how we need stiffer sentences for other crimes aswell rather than these sentences for raptor persecution being acceptable.

 

[Irish Kite]

Anyhoo, the anti predator lobby is kicking-off again..........

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/7715064/RSPB-attacked-by-Country-Life.html

Wow - thats some of the most nauseating and self-serving BS I've read for quiet a long time:C. Only some jail time will stop these types who activities have now reached a level that threatens the very survival of species like Golden Eagles on these Islands

 

[nirofo]

telegraph.co.uk

13/05/2010.

RSPB attacked by Country Life

The RSPB is so 'obsessed' with high profile species like the red kite and golden eagle it has lost interest in protecting ordinary songbirds, according to Country Life magazine.

Oh if only that were true, protection for birds of prey in the far north of Scotland is virtually non existant, the Raptors are now being exterminated at nearly as high a rate than when the Victorians were at it. Poisonings are now just a way of life on most estates with nothing being done about it by either our Wildlife Protection Agencies or the police. With so many poisonous substances being readily available off the shelf to these people it's only a matter of time before a member of the public is killed, lets see the police move then, (perhaps). If a general member of the public was found to be hoarding lethal poisons in his garage or outhouse he would probably be locked up immediately, at least on suspicion of planning to murder someone, why else would you keep all that poison. Gamekeepers can be in possession of various illegal poisons with so called protected birds of prey found poisoned in their working area and nothing is done about it, I say nothing because the measly fines that are sometimes meted out amount to nothing.

nirofo.

 

[John B (not the sloop)]

the lack of protection for birds of prey in the far north of Scotland is virtually non existant,

nirofo.

Now if only that were true.....