There’s a lot of media attention today on a newly published report about the state of the UK’s wildlife. Compiled by 25 wildlife organisations, the State of Nature report provides a broad and objective assessment on the status and population trends of UK species. According to the report, 60% of the species studied have declined in recent decades and more than 10% are at risk of being lost from the UK entirely.
It’s refreshing to read that, amongst other things, intensive grouse moor management and illegal persecution have been identifed as threats to the biodiversity of our uplands.
Strangely, raptors have not been blamed. Perhaps that’s because the report was authored by an authentic partnership of expert organisations, none of whom have a vested interest in killing birds of prey…
Environment Minister Paul Wheelhouse has ‘pledged to take action’, apparently:
“We’re committed to halting biodiversity loss by 2020 and are working with partners involved in this report, as well as the wider community, to do just that” (BBC news article here).
The State of Nature report is available to read here
Raptor Persecution UK 
Unfortunately it won’t stop the usual clowns blaming raptors anyway – the same types that SNH think should be involved in their conservation!!
It is nice to read as fact something most of us already know. “Intensive grouse moor management and illegal persecution have been identified as threats to the biodiversity of our uplands”. It is time to make ‘driven grouse moors’ as illegal as fox hunting, cock fighting and bear baiting already are. They all belong in the dark ages.
SNH should be asked if they endorse this report….it seems to be at odds with their outlook?