FIRECREST TOURS : Guided Birdwatching & Wildlife Days

A man has been arrested after a large collection of sperm whale teeth was seized. IMAGE SOURCE: TVP Thames Valley Police said the 49-year-old from Grove, Oxfordshire, was arrested “on suspicion of offering for sale a specimen of an endangered species, namely whale teeth”. The force’s rural crime taskforce said the ivory teeth were worth about £18,350. The man has since been released under investigation. The police operation was supported by the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit. Sperm whales are protected by UK wildlife legislation. However, they still face a significant conservation threat as they continue to be commercially targeted for their ivory. Source: BBC The post Sperm whale teeth seized and Oxford man arrested first appeared on National Wildlife Crime Unit | NWCU . source https://www.nwcu.police.uk/news/wildlife-crime-press-coverage/sperm-whale-teeth-seized-and-oxford-man-arrested/

News has emerged that a total of nine birds of prey (eight buzzards and a sparrowhawk) have been found shot dead and dumped in bags in the Angus Glens. We already knew about three of those shot buzzards (see here and here). They were found in bags outside two gamekeeper’s residences during a joint Scottish … Continue reading "Nine raptors found shot & dumped in bags outside gamekeeper’s houses on Millden Estate and at the nearby River Esk in the Angus Glens" RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/Uv9kKOM

Earlier this month animal welfare charity and REVIVE coalition partner, OneKind, along with the charity Scottish Badgers, had planned to host a demonstration outside the Scottish Parliament calling for a complete ban on the manufacture, sale and use of snares. However, the event was postponed following the death of the Queen. A new date has … Continue reading "New date for anti-snare demo at Scottish Parliament" RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/f51JlTb

Earlier this month animal welfare charity and REVIVE coalition partner, OneKind, along with the charity Scottish Badgers, had planned to host a demonstration outside the Scottish Parliament calling for a complete ban on the manufacture, sale and use of snares. However, the event was postponed following the death of the Queen. A new date has … Continue reading "New date for anti-snare demo at Scottish Parliament" from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/grsuyO5 via IFTTT

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust is inviting entries for its annual art auction. This year’s theme is Fight for Flight and the Trust is looking for contributions that celebrate UK bird species. Entries can be any type of artwork, from photography to drawing, as long as it fits on an A5 size card (i.e. postcard). Entries close … Continue reading "Entries invited for art auction – proceeds to help support peregrine nest protection in Derbyshire" from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/e3xyotC via IFTTT

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust is inviting entries for its annual art auction. This year’s theme is Fight for Flight and the Trust is looking for contributions that celebrate UK bird species. Entries can be any type of artwork, from photography to drawing, as long as it fits on an A5 size card. Entries close on 31st … Continue reading "Entries invited for art auction – proceeds to help support peregrine nest protection in Derbyshire" RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/59LAMgh

Natural England has launched an eight-week public consultation as it reviews its position on the licensing of falconers permitting them to remove [unspecified] raptors from the wild for falconry/captive breeding programmes. The call for evidence was announced last week (see here) and although the online notice is illustrated with a peregrine falcon, I’m somewhat alarmed … Continue reading "Public consultation on the issue of ‘wild take’ of English raptors for falconry" RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/EgtsyeN

Natural England has launched an eight-week public consultation as it reviews its position on the licensing of falconers permitting them to remove [unspecified] raptors from the wild for falconry/captive breeding programmes. The call for evidence was announced last week (see here) and although the online notice is illustrated with a peregrine falcon, I’m somewhat alarmed … Continue reading "Public consultation on the issue of ‘wild take’ of English raptors for falconry" from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/dzMCGR4 via IFTTT

The BBC News website published an article a few days ago about the proposed reintroduction of white-tailed eagles to Cumbria. The article was based on a recent BBC radio interview with Dr Alex Dittrich from the University of Cumbria who is reportedly involved with the project. This project is in its infancy, with an initial … Continue reading "Feasibility study for proposed reintroduction of white-tailed eagles to Cumbria" RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/FnauyDI

Pangolin Scales. Credit: A. Roberts, NWCU A Chinese medicine practitioner who admitted to being involved in the illegal trade of endangered wildlife has been sentenced at Northampton Crown Court. Lei Zheng, of Holkham Walk in Corby, was charged with seven counts of selling or keeping endangered species for sale including Pangolin, Musk, Seahorses and four species of plants. On Thursday, September 8, 2022, the 54-year-old pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six months in prison – suspended for 21 months – and ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work. Rural Crime Team officers from Northamptonshire Police and the National Wildlife Crime Unit launched a joint investigation in July 2018, after Zheng was found to be selling illegal Musk products on the internet. It soon became clear that Zheng was running a substantial online business which included the selling of Chinese medicines, which resulted in the execution of search warrants at several addresses. During searches at his ...

  IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES A director of a housebuilding firm has been fined more than £9,000 after a badger sett was damaged during construction work in Aberdeen. Bruce Allan, 57, admitted breaching the Protection of Badgers Act in Milltimber in June last year. He was fined in his capacity as a director of Malcolm Allan Housebuilders after allowing work to dig and level the land in question to proceed. Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard there was no evidence that any badgers died. The court heard that a badger protection plan had been available and a local resident also highlighted the location of the sett, but an access route was constructed. This was when the damage was caused. Allan, from Kintore, Aberdeenshire, had admitted the charge last week and the case was continued for sentencing. On Tuesday 20th September 2022, Sheriff Lesley Johnston described proceeding with the work as “reckless”. The sheriff said she had been told Allan regre...

REVIVE Coalition partner OneKind, the animal welfare charity, is hosting a demonstration outside the Scottish Parliament on Saturday 17th September, from 11.30am to 1pm, calling for a complete ban on the manufacture, sale and use of snares in Scotland. Thousands of snares are deployed on game-shooting estates every year, which maim and kill animals in … Continue reading "Consign snares to the history books: a demo outside the Scottish Parliament" RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/tVsBM6h

Press release from South Scotland Golden Eagle Project (8th September 2022): Pioneering conservation project reveals new record number of golden eagles soaring in southern Scottish skies ahead of UK’s only golden eagle festival As part of a series of ground-breaking translocations to reverse the decline in numbers of golden eagles in the south of Scotland, … Continue reading "More golden eagles released in South Scotland" RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/A4q8aio

Essex Police’s Rural, Wildlife & Heritage Crime Team is appealing for information after a red kite was reportedly found shot in Stapleford Abbots in the Epping Forest. The kite was found on 3rd September 2022 and is currently undergoing veterinary treatment for what are believed to be shotgun injuries. [Red kite photo by Javier Alonso … Continue reading "Red kite reported shot in Essex – Police appeal for information" RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/6h8Dpgc

Essex Police’s Rural, Wildlife & Heritage Crime Team is appealing for information after a red kite was reportedly found shot in Stapleford Abbots in the Epping Forest. The kite was found on 3rd September 2022 and is currently undergoing veterinary treatment for what are believed to be shotgun injuries. [Red kite photo by Javier Alonso … Continue reading "Red kite reported shot in Essex – Police appeal for information" from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/tuwyeoA via IFTTT

A court hearing has been delayed in the case of a Scottish gamekeeper accused of killing a sparrowhawk. The un-named 22-year-old gamekeeper was charged in September 2021 (see here) for the alleged killing in Inverness-shire and was due in court on 30th September 2022. This case will now be heard on 10th November. As this … Continue reading "Court hearing delayed for Scottish gamekeeper accused of killing sparrowhawk" RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/r0SR8cf

A court hearing has been delayed in the case of a Scottish gamekeeper accused of killing a sparrowhawk. The un-named 22-year-old gamekeeper was charged in September 2021 (see here) for the alleged killing in Inverness-shire and was due in court on 30th September 2022. This case will now be heard on 10th November. As this … Continue reading "Court hearing delayed for Scottish gamekeeper accused of killing sparrowhawk" from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/uqnEsbD via IFTTT

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced that, finally, a draft bill on grouse moor licensing will be introduced in this parliamentary year. This proposed legislation is a direct result of the continued illegal killing of birds of prey on many driven grouse moors, that’s been going on for decades. The grouse-shooting industry hasn’t just … Continue reading "Scottish Government announces draft bill on grouse moor licensing to be introduced this parliamentary year" RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/0PLEBiQ

Hen harrier Asta, a young, satellite-tagged bird being monitored by Natural England, met a brutal and sickening end on a grouse moor in County Durham in March 2021 (see here). Her wings were ripped off so that her satellite tag and harness could be fitted to a crow, presumably done in an attempt to deceive … Continue reading "Natural England utterly compromised on tackling hen harrier persecution" RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/xWkm6Ho

Hen harrier Asta, a young, satellite-tagged bird being monitored by Natural England, met a brutal and sickening end on a grouse moor in County Durham in March 2021 (see here). Her wings were ripped off so that her satellite tag and harness could be fitted to a crow, presumably done in an attempt to deceive … Continue reading "Natural England utterly compromised on tackling hen harrier persecution" from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/U9PpCdN via IFTTT

Although the BBC has already effectively told the Countryside Alliance where to shove its latest vindictive call for Chris Packham to be gagged or sacked (see here), someone has launched a counter petition to the one being promoted by the Countryside Alliance, just to ram home the message that ‘Chris Packham should not be silenced … Continue reading "‘Chris Packham should not be silenced by hunters’ – new petition launched" RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/4Aa1Qtx

Although the BBC has already effectively told the Countryside Alliance where to shove its latest vindictive call for Chris Packham to be gagged or sacked (see here), someone has launched a counter petition to the one being promoted by the Countryside Alliance, just to ram home the message that ‘Chris Packham should not be silenced … Continue reading "‘Chris Packham should not be silenced by hunters’ – new petition launched" from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/uUOt052 via IFTTT

The perennially nasty Countryside Alliance (CA) has received a metaphorical two fingers from the BBC in response to the CA’s latest attack on Chris Packham, calling for him to be gagged or sacked. Using The Telegraph to promote its ongoing hate campaign, last week we learned how the CA planned to complain to the BBC … Continue reading "BBC gives short shrift to Countryside Alliance’s latest vindictive attack on Chris Packham" RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/IUAFgdN

The perennially nasty Countryside Alliance (CA) has received a metaphorical two fingers from the BBC in response to the CA’s latest attack on Chris Packham, calling for him to be gagged or sacked. Using The Telegraph to promote its ongoing hate campaign, last week we learned how the CA planned to complain to the BBC … Continue reading "BBC gives short shrift to Countryside Alliance’s latest vindictive attack on Chris Packham" from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/LERbY62 via IFTTT

A prominent falconer and eagle breeder is being prosecuted for the alleged mistreatment of 90 raptors and other bird species at his breeding facility in Elvanfoot, South Lanarkshire. Andrew Knowles-Brown, 67, and his associate Alan Rothery, 62, have been charged with a number of offences relating to the welfare of birds of prey at the … Continue reading "Prominent falconer on trial for alleged mistreatment of 90 raptors" RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/ny4eDsC

Today (1st September 2022) sees the launch of the new National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Wildlife & Rural Crime Strategy for 2022-2025. DCC Debbie Ford, NPCC lead for Rural and Wildlife Crime, states “ I am proud to introduce the new three-year strategy for rural and wildlife crime. This strategy will build on the work undertaken to deliver the 2018 – 2021 strategy and the fantastic progress that has been made. I would like to thank everyone who has worked so hard over the last four years and acknowledge the professionalism, effort and commitment, which has been so apparent through the successes and achievements to date “. The purpose of the NPCC strategy for Rural and Wildlife Crime is to provide a framework through which policing, and its partners can work together, to tackle the most prevalent threats and emerging issues which have the greatest impact on our rural communities or wildlife. Alongside the successful delivery of this strategy there will be a strong focus on c...