Press release:
Chris Packham to highlight lack of hen harriers in our skies with mass kite-flying event this Saturday at Box Hill, Surrey
Naturalist and television presenter Chris Packham is hoping for good kite flying weather this Saturday at Box Hill in the Surrey Hills. To highlight the plight of Hen Harriers he’s had 100 paper kites made, with their image, for kids and adults to fly at the National Trusts’ Box Hill property, Saturday afternoon at 2.30pm.
Chris Packham: “Saturday is about having an enjoyable day out for people and to raise awareness that our Hen Harriers are in deep trouble. If we are able to fly 100 kites it will represent many times more than the actual number of Hen Harriers that are flying in the skies of England. This a shameful situation.”
There’s been more in the news this week about two young Hen Harriers disappearing in suspicious circumstances in North Yorkshire and Durham. These two were part of a ludicrous government ‘trial’ to see whether removing Hen Harrier chicks from a grouse moor (to prevent their parents catching Red Grouse to feed to them), rearing the young Harriers in captivity and then later returning them to another grouse moor, would help boost the dwindling Hen Harrier population. Based on all the scientific evidence and previous knowledge of what happens to young Hen Harriers in the UK, it’s probably a safe bet to predict these two Harriers have been illegally killed on grouse moors. The police are currently investigating.
Although a serious message, Saturday at Box Hill is very much a family day out where kids and adults can have fun flying the kites as well as learn more about these precious raptors.
ENDS
Raptor Persecution UK 