Three reforms to stop the criminal killing of birds of prey – new petition to UK Minister from Friends of the Dales

A new petition has been launched calling on the UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Mary Creagh MP) to bring in legal reform to help stop the illegal persecution of birds of prey. The petition has been created by Friends of the Dales, a registered charity working to protect and enhance the Yorkshire Dales, as part of its Eyes on the Skies campaign. Regular blog readers will know that the Yorkshire Dales is a national hotspot for raptor persecution, particularly on many of the privately-owned grouse moors inside this National Park. Photo by Ruth Tingay The petition is focused on a letter from Friends of the Dales to Mary Creagh MP, asking her to prioritise what are described as three essential reforms: 1. Sentencing guidelines and the strengthening of penalties for offenders.The persistence of raptor persecution demonstrates that current sanctions do not act as a credible deterrent. Introducing sentencing guidelines with meaningful fines and ensuring the appropriate use of custodial sentences would send a clear message that the criminal killing of birds of prey is being treated as a serious crime. 2. Establish a National Wildlife Crime Database.Wildlife crime is not currently a notifiable offence. As a result, serious incidents of wildlife crime are recorded with the same priority as minor offences. Making wildlife crime notifiable would allow the creation of a national database, enabling police forces, land managers, and conservation bodies to identify trends, focus resources and coordinate action across regions. 3. Regulate and license the gamebird-shooting industry.Analysis by the RSPB shows that most confirmed incidents of raptor persecution, and the majority of related convictions, are linked to land managed for gamebird shooting. In the Yorkshire Dales, where this is a dominant land use, robust regulation and a licensing system are necessary to ensure accountability and prevent further offences. You can read the full letter and sign the petition HERE.

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