There has been a massive amount of media coverage on the the suspicious disappearance of two satellite-tagged golden eagles, Adam and Charlie, who vanished from a grouse moor in the Strathbraan raven cull area on the same April morning.
Here’s some of that coverage:
Our favourite one, though, so far, is this one from The Herald:
Journalist Jody Harrison first discusses the disappearances of golden eagles Adam and Charlie, but then moves on to some defensive guff put out yesterday by the Scottish Gamekeepers Association (SGA), who seem to think that satellite-tag data aren’t independently scrutinised by the police in each case of a suspicious disappearance (er, asking for the tag data is the first thing the police do when a sat-tagged raptor is reported as missing under suspicious circumstances).
Here’s Chris Packham’s exquisite response to the SGA:
The article also includes a good response from RSPB Scotland’s Ian Thomson, who not only accuses the SGA of trying to “muddy the waters” but also welcomes the idea of independent scrutiny, especially if it’s extended to the amount of wildlife-killing that goes on as part of routine grouse moor management.
We’re not sure who is advising the SGA on its media strategy these days but whoever it is, thanks a lot, you’re handing them to us on a plate.
Raptor Persecution UK 
Brilliant Chris I absolutely love it. Hope the media pick up on it.
Maybe reaching a tipping point with the quality and quantity of media coverage and with public opinion.
I’ve just finished listening to Chris on BBC Radio 2 the Jeremy Vine show and he was fecken brilliant! There was anger and outrage in his voice which made the response from David Johnston of SLE look very insipid and pathetic as well as ludicrous. The media coverage is bloody phenomenal. Re SGA’s petition for ‘transparency and accountability’ for sat tag data couldn’t someone set up a Scotgov petition so that gamekeepers have to record and report ALL animals caught in their traps and snares…young tawny owls, dippers, pine martens etc. Now there would be transparency and accountability for you.
I heard that as well, Les. Also noteworthy was the idiot from Norfolk who claimed that no gamekeeper would ever harm a Golden Eagle (or, rather strangely, Barn Owl), who was followed by an email from another nitwit claiming that raptors (and otters) should be “controlled”. The topsy-turvy, contradictory world of wildlife abusers, and their apologists, in a nutshell!
I only listened to the first part, didn’t know there was more, but I’ll listen later thanks. There’s been a definite big upswing in calls for otters to be ‘controlled’, and general vilification on social media. Also seems to be more illegal persecution and sometimes it’s flaunted two snared otters dumped on a public footpath in Bedfordshire, another two dead ones dumped in a layby in Cornwall. Plus it seems others are dropped to make it look like they are roadkill. Not surprised at this the anti otter clots of the Predation Action Group almost make the SGA look like a team on University Challenge. You’re right it’s all topsy turvy. The wildlife organisations need to get together and fight against the anti predator propaganda that’s increasingly being pushed into the public sphere – raptors, badgers, corvids, cormorants, goosanders, mergansers, pine martens, seals…
No gamekeeper in Norfolk might harm a Barn Owl or Golden Eagle but someone in Norfolk seems happy to shoot Marsh Harriers according to the H&OT (remember them!)
https://hawkandowltrust.org/news-page-2/item/231-horror-as-rare-marsh-harrier-shot-next-to-sculthorpe-reserve
What I found staggering in the responses on the Radio 2 piece by Chris was the level of ignorance expressed by those calling or writing in. We have a highly informed audience here but a massive job to do with the rest of the UK public. A video like that posted by Chris and media coverage that has resulted will be great but shows just how much there is to do to educate.
I listened to it also – I was actually shouting at the radio listening to those trying to insist no raptors etc are ever harmed – aye right!!
Indeed Carole, grouse moors also support a large population of flying pigs, pink elephants and some even have unicorns! Statistics show most of those convicted of raptor persecution work in the game ” industry” that’s because most raptor killing is apparently done by those in that industry, that’s what satellite tagging implies, that is why they want an end to tagging!!!
xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx So called gamekeepers are miles and miles into the back of beyond and you think they are going to get their little note book out and record killing protected species and tell the authorities? Seriously
[Ed: Thanks for your comment but please be respectful of other commentators]
It is great to hear the Gamekeepers being ridiculed and embarrassed. They really think that the public are more stupid than themselves.
Keep up the good work SGA I can see the day when your traps, poisons and guns turn on you.
Well done all for keeping up the fight.
Doug
Indeed.. SGA has yet to learn that, by and large, the public isn’t stupid and doesn’t have a lot of time for organisations who assume that it is. One thing is clear- there are some spectacularly incompetent PR people earning a living in the UK…..
OK…this is excellent stuff…now lets target those who are actually behind the killings, not just the “hired guns” [although dont ever fall for the “poor guy hes just doing his job” guff, remember what that job has always entailed] but the letting agents, the landowners and finally the clients. Hitting Driven Grouse Shooting in the purse is the way to go.
It was a good item on ITV news telling it as it is and I was waiting for the “industry response” but there wasn’t one! Things are changing-not before time.
It was interesting to read the spin taken by the Metro (p. 19, Tue) – after introducing Auchnafree Estate it is stated at foot of first column “Packham and Raptor Persecution UK said there was no evidence to suggest the estate’s involvement in the disappearance” and the article concludes “Auchnafree, a farming and sporting estate, said police were satisfied its employees were not involved.” So that’s a relief, some unsuspecting members of the public may have been getting worried that the estate might have had something to do with these disappearances, nice to hear it has been unanimously ruled out…
Yes but it’s a bit worrying for the estate that someone’s been taking out eagles on their land, makes you wonder what else they’ve been poaching. Think they need to get a grip on their security!!!
I tried to read the SGA’s moronic missive, but couldn’t get further than the second sentence, in which it is claimed there is no evidence of wildlife crime being committed. Of course no physical evidence connecting any actual person to an illegal event will ever be found; despite much evidence to the contrary, these people are not entirely stupid. Somebody should teach them some basic statistics though: if the probability is low that the disappearance of two eagles was due to chance, that means that there is a high probability that it was a deliberate act, which is under the law of the land, illegal. QED. This is not rocket science.
https://duncanspence.blog/2019/07/02/disappearing-eagles/
Thank Goodness we’ve got Chris Packham in this world, I wish there were more people with a public profile like him.
Chris Packam’s dissection of the SGA position on tags is grand. I’m with Dave Dick on extra steps needed. What Chris could have gone on to say, perhaps he did and it wasn’t printed is that the SGA represents the foot soldiers here and that in little over a month wealthy men, because it is predominantly men, from the ‘city’ who have had no interest in wildlife, the environment, golden eagles or gamekeepers for the past 360 or so days will turn up on moors across Scotland and northern England to kill as many grouse as they can.
It might be difficult to shame people who are happy to take seven figure ‘bonuses’ when food bank use and rough sleeping are up, but we should try and shame them and all the other wealth behind this criminality.
As long as our royal family support this sort of thing it will carry on,come on William and make a stand against this outdated killing.
These t**** can’t see beyond their own bank balance and wouldn’t recognise a golden eagle if it passed over their heads, they don’t see the countryside like we do it means nothing to them it’s just another way of making money or rubbing shoulders with the right people. They disgust me more than I can describe
I have shared this , asking the morons to seek psychiatric help!….
Magnificent birds & wildlife is Britain’s heritage to be proud of, but a trail of dead animals at the hands of some gentry, their brainless thugs is disrespectful to everything.
The laws need tightening up, we are at a dilemma now loss of habitats & the increase of twats is unacceptable in 2019.