Monthly Archives: December 2013

Wildlife and the Law- some Q and A

If I find an illegal snare or trap should I leave it set? If an illegal trap or snare has been set, leaving it in that state could well result in a bird or mammal being caught. Birds will invariably … Continue reading

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The latest poisoned eagle scandal – some thoughts

The poisoning of a satellite-tagged golden eagle in the Angus Glens is yet another disgraceful and disgusting crime against our wildlife committed in that area of Scotland. It is the latest in a litany of raptor persecution incidents blighting Scotland’s … Continue reading

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RSPB Birdcrime Report 2012 – some thoughts

I‘ve just read the RSPB Birdcrime Report 2012. Raptor crime remains at a disappointingly high level and it must be frustrating for those south of the Border that England and Wales (and indeed Northern Ireland) does not follow Scotland’s lead.  … Continue reading

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The investigation of wildlife crime in Ireland by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS)

Investigation of Wildlife Crime: the role of the Conservation Ranger (an excerpt from the chapter on Ireland in my book The Thin Green Line) It was surprising to learn that most wildlife crime in Ireland is not investigated by the … Continue reading

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Culling a buzzard to protect a red squirrel?

I had a call from Mark Macaskill, a reporter for the Sunday Times, on Friday evening. He was preparing an article on buzzards taking red squirrels.  He quoted an incident, of which I was aware, of a Perthshire landowner, David … Continue reading

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And then there were eleven

I started off 2013 with 17 khaki Campbell ducks, which I increased to 25 in July by buying 8 young ones due to start to lay around mid-December. In early November I ‘pensioned off’ 8 two-year old ducks to nearby … Continue reading

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