Following North Yorkshire Police’s appeal for information about the recent discovery of a Marsh Harrier with gunshot injuries found in the Westerdale area of the North York Moors National Park, the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust (YWT) has responded with an unusually robust statement.
On its Facebook page yesterday, the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust said that “It is no longer enough to condemn these actions – our communities and wildlife deserve to thrive together, and it is our collective duty to hold those responsible for destroying our wildlife to account“.
The social media post then linked to a full statement on the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s web site, reproduced here:
MARSH HARRIER SHOT ON NORTH YORK MOORS – OUR RESPONSE, 22 SEPTEMBER 2026
We are outraged to hear that in August, a marsh harrier was found shot at Westerdale within the North York Moors National Park.
Despite being protected by law, this poor bird had been left to suffer for days until found; sadly it couldn’t be treated and had to be euthanised to halt its suffering.
This latest case of cruelty and negligence, comes barely three months after a golden eagle was reported to have been shot 17 times in northern England and a tagged white-tailed eagle ‘went missing’ on the North York Moors, it is clear there are people in these landscapes who are careless and callous enough to harm these magnificent birds, and publicity does not stop their illegal behaviour.
North Yorkshire is nationally infamous for raptor persecution, with a report by the RSPB this year showing that one in five confirmed cases of shootings in England over the past ten years took place in our county. This is not an accolade or an achievement. We want to see anyone who has been involved in facilitating criminal actions like this to be held to account.
It is clear that the ‘self-policing’ approach of the shooting industry is failing and there is little sign of those who should be responsible taking clear visible action to stop and drive out this criminality. It is time for Government to take stronger action to prevent these wildlife crimes.
Defra is also currently seeking evidence on the impacts of gamebird rearing, release and shooting, including wildlife crime, and we encourage anyone with relevant evidence or experience to respond to the call for evidence by 11:59pm on 1 November 2026.
Birds of prey play an important role in our ecosystems, bringing awe and wonder to the majority of Yorkshire folk lucky enough to see them, their appearance in our skies are down to the work of conservation bodies, volunteers and local people. Persecution robs everyone the chance of seeing these special birds and destroys all those years of effort.
We urge anyone who has information that can help North Yorkshire Police establish who was involved in this case to contact them. It is no longer enough to condemn these actions – our communities and wildlife deserve to thrive together, and it is our collective duty to hold those responsible for destroying our wildlife to account.
You can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 or emailing kimberley.laws@northyorkshire.police.uk, quoting incident number 12260171320.
ENDS
With the exception of Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, it’s quite unusual to see any of the country’s Wildlife Trusts speaking out so clearly and forcefully on the issue of raptor persecution. It’s long been a bugbear of mine that organisations like the Wildlife Trusts, who are in a position of authority and influence, have shied away from prominent campaigning on this issue.
So I applaud Yorkshire Wildlife Trust for its unequivocal stance and hope that other Wildlife Trusts will follow its lead and not be too frightened by the inevitable backlash from the game-shooting industry, who are probably already composing threats to report the YWT to the Charities Commission, in the same way the Moorland Association did against the charity ‘Friends of the Dales’ for its Eyes to the Skies campaign earlier this year.
And the same North Yorkshire police used dispersal orders on sabs to protect grouse shoots this August. You could slice the hypocrisy.
This factual and forceful message from the YWT is very welcome in two senses. Firstly as regards this particular offence and secondly in speaking out in the broader sense regarding raptor persecution in the County. My only quibble with its wording is the description of such acts as ‘careless’ whereas, with respect, they are clearly quite deliberate. I look forward to seeing the YWT adopting a higher profile in raptor persecution issues in the future – in its magazine for example.
“It’s long been a bugbear of mine that organisations like the Wildlife Trusts, who are in a position of authority and influence, have shied away from prominent campaigning on this issue.”
My impression (over the years) is that many/some individual Wildlife Trusts have been/still are dominated by county land-owning interests, some of which are involved with shooting.
I have (in my time) been quietly ‘warned off’ from ‘stirring the sleeping dog’ – the ‘argument’ being that these big landowners could take ‘revenge’ on the wildlife they do ‘tolerate’. It was likened to not stirring up the dog-walkers in sensitive landscapes… because both groups were held to be ‘powerful’ and difficult to police:-(
I think that attitude is changing…
Many moons ago, in a previous life, I worked for a couple of conservation organisations, including the YWT.
I found that they were completely scared of making any statement or condoning anything which could be interpreted as “political” as that might cause ructions over their charitable status. But no-one could/would ever answer my subsequent point that the very existence of such organisations and the reasons for existing were completely political and that any environmental organisation needed to address politicians and political matters in order to effect any change.
I wasn’t even allowed to put up a small flyer for a Greenpeace, Save The Whales rally…Too political, FFS.
Everything was about “being nice” and Cute Fluffy Bunny Syndrome.