Tougher laws failing to stop bird slaughter
Here is another news regarding Bird of prey…
**********
TOUGH new wildlife crime laws aimed at protecting Scotland’s iconic birds of prey are failing, amid a rise in the number of cases of poisoning.
Figures compiled by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds show that there were 44 confirmed and suspected cases of bird poisoning in 2005, with most of the deaths on or around upland grouse shooting estates.
But the figure this year is already at least 50, with more than a third of 2006 still remaining. That is apart from another 41 confirmed and suspected cases of shooting and trapping incidents in 2005.
Among the species hit are golden eagles, red kites, buzzards and hen harriers. The discovery of two golden eagle carcasses on Highland estates last month led to the RSPB offering a cash reward for information for the first time in its history.
Of the 44 poisoning cases, 19 were confirmed to be caused by carbofuran and alphachloralose – two illegal pesticides.
But what concerns the wildlife charity is that the courts do not appear to be handing out the tougher sentences to offenders signalled by stronger legislation passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2003 and 2004.
The RSPB now wants the Scottish Executive to improve the training of sheriffs and other court staff in applying environmental law, and the appointment of more “environmental prosecutors” within the procurator fiscal service.
An RSPB review of bird of prey persecution in 2005, to be published this week, follows the passing of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, which raised maximum fines for wildlife offences to £5,000 and introduced imprisonment as an option for sheriffs for the first time. It also comes after the Nature Conservation Act 2004 made possession of certain pesticides illegal.
The review found that although bird of prey persecution had generally been in long-term decline, this was “now slowing, or may have ceased”.
“For some species, and in some habitats, there no evidence of a decline in persecution,” it adds. “Persecution continues at wholly unacceptable levels and is still a significant threat to some species.
“Nineteenth century attitudes and practices are still firmly entrenched among a significant proportion of Scotland’s 21st century land managers.”
The society says poisoning is the greatest threat to birds of prey, as contaminated baits can continue to be lethal over a matter of weeks and kill multiple victims with little effort from the poisoner.
The pesticide carbofuran was the dominant poison, and a ban on its use appears to have had no effect on its availability.
Most poisoning incidents were in the east and south of Scotland, in areas corresponding to the distribution of grouse moors and land used for shooting pheasants and partridges.
David Dick, the RSPB’s principal investigator in Scotland, said the figures were almost certainly an underestimate, because of the secrecy involved in criminal activity of this type and the remote nature of the terrain in which it takes place.
“The main areas where poisoning incidents have come to light are around the upland shooting estates,” he said.
“Gamekeepers will say these are the actions of a few rotten apples in the barrel, but the geographical spread shows this not to be the case. The extent to which it is going on is deeply disappointing – especially as the new legislation was meant to send the message that wildlife crimes of this type were unacceptable.
“There is a belief that killing raptors will help you get more grouse on the ground. But there has been a decline of grouse over the last century caused by many factors, and the role of raptors is exaggerated. Parliament has decreed that killing raptors is a criminal offence, and so we don’t think anyone should be allowed to kill them when they belong to all of us.”
But Dick said that recent cases highlighted the fact that courts were only handing out “paltry fines” for wildlife offences.
Two Borders gamekeepers were fined only £100 each in May – and a Western Isles crofter just £50 last month – for possession of carbofuran. This contrasted with previous cases in which gamekeepers had been fined up to £1,000 for similar offences.
“The overall message that was meant to be sent out by the new legislation was that the Scottish people, through their parliament, considered these to be serious crimes that would be dealt with seriously. This is not yet happening,” Dick said.
“There has been a lot of public relations recently about the plight of the poor old gamekeeper and this seems to be having an effect. The training of court staff in the background and seriousness of these offences needs to be improved.”
Northern and Grampian police and the RSPB, which has offered the £1,000 reward for information, are jointly investigating golden eagle poisonings on the Glenfeshie Estate in the Cairngorms on June 10, and on the Dinnet and Kinnord Estate near Ballater on May 13.
Stuart Housden, director of RSPB Scotland, said: “Golden eagles are magnificent icons of the Scottish uplands, yet some in our country selfishly persecute these birds through the use of poisoned baits or other means. In three months, two dead eagles have been found – killed illegally.”
The Scottish Gamekeepers’ Association accepted wildlife crime did occur, but suggested a different way of tackling the problem than through the courts. Alex Hogg, the SGA chairman, said: “If Scottish Natural Heritage [the government's countryside agency] and the Executive would accept a derogation for the live-trapping of raptors then wildlife crime of this type would disappear overnight. The birds would be caught live and moved to areas where they wouldn’t have such an impact.
“Wildlife crime does go on but a lot of it is down to frustration that livelihoods may be affected. Some of the fines may not be very high, but do we really want to jail gamekeepers, the vast majority of whom are responsible, law-abiding citizens?”
ON A WING AND A PRAYER
GOLDEN EAGLES
Severe persecution reduced their numbers to just 100 pairs in 1870 but the population has recovered to 420 pairs, mostly in the Highlands. However, there are substantial areas of suitable habitat inexplicably unoccupied by breeding birds. One study in the North-east found up to 75% of breeding attempts on grouse moors failed because of persecution. One confirmed poisoning in 2005.
HEN HARRIERS
Severe persecution restricted this bird to Orkney and the Western Isles at the end of the 19th century and a slow recovery on the mainland has now reached stagnation. The RSPB says persecution on grouse moors is holding the number of breeding birds well below estimated natural levels.
RED KITES
Extinct in the UK by the end of the 19th century because of sustained persecution. Currently being reintroduced in restricted locations but their recovery has been marred by persecution as their feeding habits make them particularly susceptible to poisoning. Of 248 tagged in Scotland between 1989 and 1998, a third are believed to have been poisoned. Two were found poisoned in Scotland in 2005. One study has shown that birds released in England are three times more successful at breeding than birds released in Scotland.
BUZZARDS
Buzzards remain the most widely-killed species of raptor. Fourteen were confirmed poisoned in 2005 and a further four were shot or died in traps.
(source:http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/scitech.cfm?id=1262612006)
Â
Â
Â