Author: RaptorPersecutionUK

Satellite-tagged hen harrier Rosie ‘disappears’ at roost site in Northumberland

Nine days ago I blogged about the suspicious disappearance of a satellite-tagged hen harrier called ‘Fortune’ who had vanished from an undisclosed roost site in Northumberland in September 2020 (see here).

Well guess what? Another one has gone, also from an undisclosed roost site in Northumberland.

This one was called ‘Rosie’, who was tagged (#57278) at a nest site (Northumberland 1) in July 2019 and the tag’s last known fix was 23 March 2020, also in Northumberland. Natural England has this marked in its database as ‘Missing fate unknown. At roost (site confidential)‘.

[Hen harrier Rosie when she was being tagged. Photo by Natural England]

Some of you may remember Rosie. She was previously reported as ‘missing’ in October 2019 (here) but then was reported to be alive and well later in the month (see here and here) and just wearing one of those Lotek tags whose limited functionality has proven to be problematic for tracking hen harriers (e.g. see here). I think it’s reasonable to assume that, ten months on and as there still hasn’t been a signal from her tag, then this is likely to be more than a tag reliability issue this time.

To be fair to Natural England, Rosie’s suspicious disappearance in March 2020 was not concealed – it was included in Natural England’s September 2020 tagged birds update but I didn’t spot it until now. Although perhaps if Natural England had bothered to publicise her suspicious disappearance at the time….

So, along with missing tagged hen harrier Fortune, that’s two gone at an undisclosed roost site in Northumberland this year. Whether that’s the same roost site only Natural England knows. Why can’t the roost sites be numbered, like the nest sites are, to disguise the actual location for security reasons but at least indicate positional proximity?

BASC’s £10K bung to Natural England to help fund winter roost monitoring doesn’t seem to be working very well, does it?

Rosie will now be added to the list of confirmed illegally killed/missing suspected killed hen harriers in the UK since 2018 – the running total is currently 50 but there’s more to come….standby.

Confirmation that hen harrier brood meddling estate was under police investigation

Cast your minds back to September 2020, when the RSPB claimed that a Natural England fieldworker had filmed a gunman, with an eagle owl, close to a hen harrier nest site in Cumbria (see here).

The RSPB, quite fairly, considered that the tethering of an eagle owl and the positioning of an armed man nearby was evidence that the eagle owl was being used as a decoy to attract in raptors (perhaps hen harriers) which could then be shot at close range. It’s an increasingly familiar sight on some grouse moors (e.g. see here), despite the use of a tethered live decoy being illegal (but let’s face it, the grouse shooting industry isn’t exactly feted for its adherence to the law).

A police investigation in Cumbria ensued, but allegations were later made that a Natural England staff member had unintentionally frustrated the criminal investigation by contravening legal protocol and phoning up the suspected gunman and asking whether he was the person who’d been seen, with the owl decoy, near to the hen harrier nest the previous day (see here). The investigation came to an abrupt halt but Natural England denied that its staff member’s actions had any bearing on this decision (see here). We’ll never know for sure because Natural England can’t be trusted to be upfront about anything relating to the hen harrier and its precarious conservation status (e.g. see here for the latest example of why Natural England shouldn’t be trusted).

The other interesting aspect about this case was the suggestion that this estate was actively involved with Natural England’s insane hen harrier brood meddling trial last year. The suggestion was made in the RSPB blog although certainty was lacking due to the secrecy surrounding the location of brood meddled nest sites.

For new blog readers, hen harrier brood meddling is a conservation sham sanctioned by DEFRA as part of its ludicrous ‘Hen Harrier Action Plan‘ and carried out by Natural England (NE), in cahoots with the very industry responsible for the species’ catastrophic decline in England. For more background see here.

[A more realistic view of DEFRA’s hen harrier action plan. Cartoon by Dr Gerard Hobley]

Thanks to one of our blog readers making a Freedom of Information request to Natural England, it can now be confirmed that yes, this [unnamed] grouse-shooting estate where a gunman was filmed crouching close to a tethered eagle owl, in the territory of a pair of breeding hen harriers, was also one of the estates where Natural England licensed the removal of hen harrier chicks for brood meddling last year.

Although it took Natural England a couple of goes to confirm this, first of all denying it and then having to send an email two weeks later to correct the information:

It leaves you brimming with confidence in Natural England’s competence, doesn’t it?

The biggest joke in all of this is that the brood meddling trial is supposed to test whether those people responsible for killing hen harriers illegally would stop killing hen harriers if the chicks were brood meddled (removed from the grouse moor in June at the critical grouse-rearing stage and then returned to the wild in August). It’s a sort of ‘gentleman’s agreement’, as I saw it described by one commentator the other day. The problem is, there doesn’t seem to be many ‘gentlemen’ involved, or at least not honourable ones.

The irony of permitting brood meddling to take place on an estate under police investigation for suspected raptor persecution is not lost on any of us.

Buzzard found with shotgun injuries near Askham Richard, North Yorkshire

Press statement from North Yorkshire Police (19 January 2021)

Appeal for information after buzzard found containing shot at Askham Richard

On 12 December 2020, a  member of the public located a buzzard close to Askham Park near Askham Richard.

The female bird appeared to be injured and was unable to fly so an RSPCA Inspector attended and transported the bird to a local vet. Unfortunately the buzzard subsequently died.

X-rays revealed that the bird had two pieces of lead shot within its body. 

Enquiries are ongoing but if you have any information which could help the investigation, please get in touch with North Yorkshire Police by calling 101 and quoting reference number: 12200227625.

ENDS

Hen harrier Bronwyn ‘disappears’ in North Wales

Six days ago I updated the list of hen harriers that were confirmed to have been illegally killed or were ‘missing’, suspected killed, since 2018.

The running total had reached 48 hen harriers (see here).

Thanks to an eagle-eyed blog reader, it’s been pointed out that I’d missed one – a satellite-tagged hen harrier called Bronwyn who vanished in 2019 in an area in North Wales where two other tagged hen harriers have also ‘mysteriously disappeared’.

[Young hen harrier Bronwyn just prior to fledging in 2019. Photo by RSPB]

You can read about the strange circumstances of Bronwyn’s disappearance on this RSPB blog (here, and text reproduced at foot of blog). Sorry, I’m not sure how I missed this one.

So that brings the running total of illegally killed/missing hen harriers to 49, but that’s not the end of it. There are more to add to that list.

An update will follow shortly.

RSPB blog about Bronwyn:

A WELSH WHODUNNIT

Continuing advances in wildlife forensics can sometimes help establish the circumstances of a bird’s death or injury. However, some cases will probably always remain a mystery.

We recently received the result of wildlife DNA forensic work undertaken by Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) in relation to two hen harrier deaths. The most recent case related to a failed breeding attempt in Forest of Bowland, Lancashire in June this year. The nest had held a healthy seven chicks but after no sightings of the female, a visit by RSPB staff revealed an empty nest. A search of the surrounding area found a number of hen harrier feathers and we suspected it was a natural predation event, probably by a fox. However, even within the relative safety of United Utilities land hen harriers are not always safe. In 2015, four breeding males ‘went missing’ leading to several nest failures – it seems very likely that most, or all, of these birds were taken out away from the nest sites. Consequently, we decided to see if we could confirm our suspicions about the nest failure this summer. The forensic work at SASA, which was delayed because of Covid-19, did indeed confirm the presence of fox DNA on the recovered feathers – so natural predation it was.

The other case in North Wales was much more intriguing. In 2019, hen harrier Bronwyn fledged from a nest in North Wales having been fitted with a satellite transmitter.

These devices have demonstrated the intense persecution pressures this species continues to face. A study of 58 hen harriers fitted with satellite tags by Natural England was published last year. This showed the likelihood of hen harriers dying, or disappearing, was ten times higher within areas predominantly covered by grouse moor, compared to areas with no grouse moor. The study revealed that 72% of tagged harriers were either confirmed or considered very likely to have been illegally killed.

There is no doubt that hen harriers continue to be killed and those involved are preventing the tags transmitting incriminating data. Satellite tagging of golden eagles has shown the same problems with sustained persecution, and a case recently reported in September where a satellite tag was wrapped in lead and thrown into a Scottish river shows the lengths people will take to hide evidence of their crimes. We have received intelligence of hen harrier satellite tags being treated in a similar manner and a box lined with roofing lead found during the search of a Scottish grouse estate certainly raised a few eyebrows.

In September 2019 Bronwyn settled into the area around Ruabon Mountain, near Wrexham in North Wales. This raised some concerns as two hen harriers (Aalin and Heulwen) have previously gone missing in suspicious circumstances in this area, much of which is managed for driven grouse shooting.

A raven was also found illegally poisoned on a grouse moor near Ruabon Mountain in 2018, further highlighting our concerns about ongoing persecution in this area. And in May 2019, we received third-hand information that a gamekeeper had shot a satellite tagged hen harrier in this area, though if true, it was not known which bird this may have related to.

Against this sombre background we were keeping a very close eye on the data from Bronwyn’s tag, when things took a turn for the worse. On reviewing the satellite tag data, this showed that at 6.05pm on 24 September Bronwyn was alive near Ruabon Mountain. She had spent around two weeks in this vicinity and had roosted at a number of locations in this area. However, at 9.05 pm, when Bronwyn should have been roosting on the ground, the data showed the satellite tag had no access to any satellites and as a result no GPS location was recorded.

This satellite tag had been reliably providing data since deployment in July. Of the 434 data points provided, on no previous occasion had the tag been unable to access any satellites at all. It had access to three or more on every occasion, with 97.5% of the fixes accessing five or more satellites. So what was going on? At 06.05am the following morning the tag transmitted from an upland location near Maesmaelor nearly 5km to the north west from where Bronwyn had been the previous evening. The data indicated the tag was stationary, suggesting Bronwyn was likely to be dead.

On 27 September a search of the area took place by North Wales Police and RSPB. The satellite tag was recovered from the last known location, however it was no longer attached to Bronwyn. A few hen harrier feathers were found nearby, but no body.

Whilst it was expected that the bird would have roosted in the Ruabon Mountain area on the evening of 24 September, it is possible it could have moved location and subsequently been predated – but why could the tag not communicate with any satellites until the following morning?

One disturbingly scenario to be considered was that the bird had been illegally killed, the tag kept in a situation where it was ‘blind’, and then moved and left at another location before the morning transmission. You may remember the sinister ‘disappearance’ of Fred the golden eagle – had something similar happened here?

The forensic DNA tests by SASA failed to find any fox DNA on Bronwyn’s tag, though the poor weather at the time of recovery and Covid related delays may have played a part in this negative result. So was it some unexplained natural predation event or, more worryingly, another criminal killing of this beleaguered species? Ultimately, whilst highly suspicious, I suspect we may never know for certain. However, it is clear we need to keep a very close watch any hen harriers hanging around this area in North Wales.

In additional to the original turn out from North Wales Police, the RSPB would also like to thank SASA for their forensic work in both these cases, and South Yorkshire Police for their assistance in getting forensic tests undertaken on Bronwyn’s satellite tag.

ENDS

Police investigate illegal poisoning of a buzzard in Suffolk – guns & pesticides seized

News is emerging of a multi-agency investigation today following the discovery of an illegally poisoned buzzard near Lakenheath in Suffolk.

Suffolk Police, Natural England and the RSPB Investigations Team attended and a number of guns and pesticides were seized. This is excellent partnership working and what a response!

The investigation continues and hopefully charges will be forthcoming.

[Photo from Suffolk Police]

UPDATE 24th August 2021: Another gamekeeper in court for alleged poisoning of buzzard (here)

UPDATE 9th November 2021: Gamekeeper convicted for pesticide and firearms offences but buzzard-poisoning charge is dropped (here)

National Wildlife Crime Unit – new head appointed

Press release from National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU), 18th January 2021

New lead for National Wildlife Crime Unit

Today marks the arrival of a new head of the National Wildlife Crime Unit, Chief Inspector Kevin Kelly.

Chief Inspector Kelly joins the national unit from his home force North Yorkshire Police. Ch Insp Kelly, who currently chairs the UK Badger Persecution Priority Delivery Group, has been a prominent figure in the wildlife crime arena for a number of years, seeing him become a highly decorated enforcer.

The NWCU is an intelligence and investigative support function that oversees and helps police forces implement the UK wildlife crime strategy set by the NPCC. The NWCU oversees the running and support of the Priority Delivery Groups for wildlife crime and works closely with advisory bodies and government agencies to support enforcement.

Chief Inspector Kelly says “I’m delighted, but there’s no time for complacency as this is going to be a tough role. I have spent all my service working in the fight against wildlife crime and to take this national role is a privilege. Today is a good day for our animals who are harmed or exploited and a bad day for criminals. I intend to lead this unit from the front, being visible on the ground and supporting colleagues with enforcement across the UK. Many people who abuse and exploit animals will abuse and exploit people, and I want to continue to show that when we effectively enforce wildlife crime, this feeds into the wider policing picture, both in the UK and internationally.

“I also have a strong belief in partnership working. Effective partnerships help provide good practice and accountability and I want to see this built up nationally”.  

ENDS

This is a very welcome appointment. Kev has a great deal of experience of tackling illegal raptor persecution from his time spent on North Yorkshire Police’s rural taskforce. He’s renowned for his enthusiasm, energy and determination and is highly respected by those at the front end of the conservation community.

Best of luck to him.

Judgement in Wild Justice’s legal challenge of Welsh General Licences has significant implications

Statement from Wild Justice (18th January 2021):

Further success on General Licences – this time in Wales

Earlier this morning, His Honour Justice Jarman handed down his judgment on Wild Justice’s judicial review of Natural Resources Wales’s general licences. His judgment further limits the casual killing of birds under general licences and has implications for general licences in other parts of the UK. 

Wild Justice is delighted at the content of the judgment, and its implications, even though the judge did not go as far as saying that the current licences are unlawful.  

The judgment: The Wild Justice challenge of the Welsh general licences concerned the circumstances under which the licences can lawfully be used. And our main concerns were about the conservation licence (GL004) which authorises the killing of four corvid species (Carrion Crow, Magpie, Jackdaw and Jay) for the purpose of conserving wild birds.  

The judgment considered the following; ‘For example, carrion crows, of which there are about 20,000 pairs in Wales, prey upon the eggs and chicks of ground nesting birds, such as curlews, of which there are less than 400 pairs left in Wales‘ and later stated ‘Thus, in the example given above NRW accepts that the relevant licence (004) should be used only to kill crows during the months between egg laying and when the chicks are well grown, namely April to July, and only in those areas where curlews nest, which do not extend to urban areas. It should not permit someone to kill a crow in the autumn or in an urban area on the basis that that bird might someday at some place take a curlew’s egg or chick‘.

In other words, you can only kill Carrion Crows under this licence where the Carrion Crows are a present danger to species of conservation concern – in those places at those times. Wild Justice believes that this is a highly significant and very welcome clarification.  

Justice Jarman further wrote ‘Written evidence was filed on behalf of WJ by one of its directors, Dr Mark Avery, on behalf of NRW by one of its managers Dr Sarah Wood, and on behalf of BASC by Glyn Evans, one of its heads. Whilst there was some disagreement between Dr Avery and Dr Wood, there was little if any difference between them on how the licences given for the purposes stated in them should work in practice. Mr Wolfe [counsel for Wild Justice] made it clear that WJ welcomed such clarification but submits that these clarifications should have been expressly imported into the wording of the licences. He points to the fact that Mr Evans interprets the licences more widely than NRW, and submits that that is a cogent reason why the licences should specify the circumstances of their use in greater detail‘. 

In other words, the licensing authority (NRW) agrees with Wild Justice that the licence should only be used where there is a ‘present risk’, and the court agrees with us both, but BASC had a different view which was rejected by the court.  

ENDS

For further commentary on this judgement and what Wild Justice suggests should happen now, please read this piece on Wild Justice’s blog.

Police investigate illegal killing of buzzards in Nottinghamshire

Press release from Nottingham Police (17 January 2021)

Investigation begins into killing of wild birds

A local man is assisting police with their enquiries in relation to the killing of wild birds.

Nottinghamshire Police officers have worked closely with the RSPB after they were called on 12 January following concern to wildlife in the Kneeton area.

All birds of prey are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. To intentionally kill or injure one is a criminal offence and could result in an unlimited fine or up to six months in jail.

Wildlife Crime Officers from Newark and West Bridgford officers were assisted by investigators from the RSPB.

Rushcliffe Inspector Craig Berry said: “Following excellent partnership work by the police and the RSPB we have interviewed a man under caution at the police station in connection with the death of buzzards.   

“The incident was called into the RSPB following a report that the birds were killed  and officers are now making further enquiries.”  

Wildlife crimes are often under reported and can pose some practical difficulties in the investigation, however this example demonstrates the police will seek to gather evidence and prosecute offenders.

Officers have urged anyone with any information to contact police by calling 101, the RSPB or Crimestoppers and report similar matters.

ENDS

UPDATE 11th August 2021: Gamekeeper on trial for alleged killing of buzzards (here)

New Scottish wildlife crime investigator appointed

Press release from National Wildlife Crime Unit & Nature Scot (formerly SNH), 15 January 2021

Tackling raptor persecution, poaching and hare coursing will be the top priorities for a new wildlife crime specialist covering all of Scotland, appointed late last year.

As the Investigative Support Officer for Scotland for the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU), PC Gavin Ross will be a source of expertise in wildlife crime at both the local and national level. He will work with individual police wildlife liaison officers, NGOs, the Scottish Government, NatureScot, RSPB, the SSPCA and Scottish Land and Estates. The position is funded by NatureScot.

PC Ross was the local community police officer for Dunbar, and has 21 years of police service and an extensive background in wildlife crime issues, community policing, problem solving and educational work.

Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment, Ben Macpherson, said: “Wildlife crime is despicable and tackling it has been a long-standing priority for the Scottish Government. We work closely with a number of agencies to ensure perpetrators are brought to justice. The Animals and Wildlife Act, which recently became law, increases the maximum penalties for the most serious wildlife crimes and extends the time available to Police Scotland to investigate.

“The work of the National Wildlife Crime Unit is hugely valued by communities across Scotland and we are committed to supporting it. I look forward to working with PC Ross in the future and congratulate him on his new role.”

PC Ross said: “When I was in Edinburgh, very early in my service, I became involved in investigating wildlife crime because of my interest and experience in this area. I’ve been a part-time wildlife crime officer throughout my whole service and the new job is the pinnacle of my career. I worked very hard preparing for my interview and was very keen to secure the job, which is a dream post. I am looking forward to settling into the role and working with all the different partner agencies which are so important in the fight against wildlife crime.

“In the six weeks I’ve been in post I’ve concentrated on meeting many of the partner agencies we work with in wildlife crime. Unfortunately most of the meetings have had to be done virtually but I feel they have all been really positive and I look forward to building on these initial foundations, especially when we can meet face to face.”

The Head of the NWCU, Ch Insp Hubble said, “I was extremely pleased when PC Ross was successfully appointed as our new Scottish ISO and I am sure he is going to be a valuable asset to policing wildlife crime.”

Andy Turner, NatureScot Wildlife Crime Officer added: “Eliminating wildlife crime is huge priority for us, which is why we’ve provided funding for this post since 2014. Wildlife crime doesn’t just cause irreparable damage to Scotland’s nature: it also affects tourism, which in turn impacts on the economy. We are committed to working with NWCU, Police Scotland and other members of the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW Scotland) to tackle this challenging issue.

“We worked closely with Gavin’s predecessor Charlie Everitt to prevent wildlife crime and raise awareness.  I look forward to continuing to this important work with Gavin and the NWCU in the future.”

NWCU’s main role is to assist in the prevention and detection of wildlife crime by obtaining and distributing information from a wide range of organisations and by helping police forces investigate wildlife crimes. NWCU also produce analysis which highlights local or national threats.

The appointment of PC Ross comes after the retirement of PC Charlie Everitt, who had spent the last 11 years developing the role of Scottish ISO within the National Wildlife Crime Unit. Charlie furthered countless operations, provided expert advice to police wildlife liaison officers and acted as the key central point of contact between the police and a vast range of partner agencies. Charlie was well known throughout the Scottish wildlife crime arena and his professional knowledge, enthusiasm, and willingness to assist were beyond question. PC Ross recognised he had “big shoes to fill.”

ENDS

Scottish Government fails to appoint taskforce to consider increased powers for SSPCA

Ten years ago the Scottish Government was asked to consider extending the powers of the Scottish SPCA, to allow them to investigate a much wider remit of wildlife crime than at present, including raptor persecution.

Since then this issue has been kicked in to the long grass more times than is credible by a long line of seven (yes, seven!) Environment Ministers. For new blog readers please see the extraordinary timeline of events at the end of this blog.

[Buzzard caught inside a crow cage trap. It’s not illegal to trap buzzards in these traps but it becomes illegal if the trap isn’t checked by the operator at least once every 24hrs and the buzzard released immediately upon discovery. Under current legislation, if the buzzard is injured but still alive then the SSPCA can investigate. If the buzzard is dead (as a result of being caught and held illegally) the SSPCA do not currently have the power to investigate and would have to call the police. It’s simply bonkers. Photo by RSPB]

In June 2020, Environment Minister #6, Mairi Gougeon, committed to establishing a new ‘independent’ taskforce to consider, again, increased powers for the SSPCA (see here). This was in response to Mark Ruskell MSP withdrawing an amendment for increased SSPCA powers from the Animals & Wildlife Bill.

Mairi Gougeon stated that she expected the taskforce to convene in the summer (of 2020) and to ‘be in a position to conclude their review and submit a report of their recommendations before the end of the current Parliamentary session‘, as long as Covid and Brexit didn’t impact on this plan. [The dissolution of Parliament is scheduled for the 5th May 2021].

Since that announcement in June, nothing else has been heard on this issue.

Mark Ruskell MSP (Scottish Greens) submitted two Parliamentary questions in December 2020 to find out the status of this taskforce, if it even exists. Newly appointed Environment Minister Ben Macpherson has now responded – and it looks like he’s going to fit right in to his new role:

I wonder how Mark Ruskell MSP feels about this continued procrastination. He only withdrew his proposed amendment to the Animals & Wildlife Bill on the basis of Mairi Gougeon’s commitment to appoint an independent taskforce in the summer of 2020.

The Covid pandemic and Brexit drama can legitimately be held responsible for a lot of delayed Parliamentary and Government business, of course, and nobody would dispute that. But seriously, in this situation, it looks simply to be being used as an excuse.

All the Scottish Government has to do is to appoint a taskforce Chair and committee. That’s it. Scottish Ministers don’t have to undertake the work of the taskforce, just simply proffer instruction and let the taskforce get on with it. It doesn’t take seven months to do that, unless you’re the Scottish Government that has consistently procrastinated on this particular issue, for ten years and now under seven Environment Ministers.

Here’s the timeline for those new to this blog:

February 2011: Increased powers for the SSPCA was first suggested by former MSP Peter Peacock as an amendment during the Wildlife & Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill debates. The then Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham rejected it as an amendment but suggested a public consultation was in order.

September 2011: Seven months later Elaine Murray MSP (Scottish Labour) lodged a parliamentary motion that further powers for the SSPCA should be considered.

November 2011: Elaine Murray MSP (Scottish Labour) formalised the question in a P&Q session and the next Environment Minister, Stewart Stevenson MSP, then promised that the consultation would happen ‘in the first half of 2012’.

September 2012: Nine months later and nothing had happened so we asked Paul Wheelhouse MSP, as the new Environment Minister, when the consultation would take place. The response, in October 2012, was:

“The consultation has been delayed by resource pressures but will be brought forward in the near future”.

July 2013: Ten months later and still no sign so we asked the Environment Minister (still Paul Wheelhouse) again. In August 2013, this was the response:

“We regret that resource pressures did further delay the public consultation on the extension of SSPCA powers. However, I can confirm that the consultation document will be published later this year”.

September 2013: At a meeting of the PAW Executive Group, Minister Wheelhouse said this:

“The consultation on new powers for the SSPCA will be published in October 2013“.

January 2014: In response to one of our blog readers who wrote to the Minister (still Paul Wheelhouse) to ask why the consultation had not yet been published:

“We very much regret that resource pressures have caused further delays to the consultation to gain views on the extension of SSPCA powers. It will be published in the near future“.

31 March 2014: Public consultation launched.

1 September 2014: Consultation closed.

26 October 2014: We published our analysis of the consultation responses here.

22 January 2015: Analysis of consultation responses published by Scottish Government. 233 responses (although 7,256 responses if online petition included – see here).

We were told a decision would come from the new Environment Minister, Dr Aileen McLeod MSP, “in due course”.

1 September 2015: One year after the consultation closed and still nothing.

25 February 2016: In response to a question posed by the Rural Affairs, Climate Change & Environment Committee, Environment Minister Dr Aileen McLeod said: “I have some further matters to clarify with the SSPCA, however I do hope to be able to report on the Scottish Government’s position on this issue shortly“.

May 2016: Dr Aileen McLeod fails to get re-elected and loses her position as Environment Minister. Roseanna Cunningham is promoted to a newly-created position of Cabinet Secretary for the Environment.

12 May 2016: Mark Ruskell MSP (Scottish Greens) submits the following Parliamentary question:

Question S5W-00030 – To ask the Scottish Government when it will announce its decision regarding extending the powers of the Scottish SPCA to tackle wildlife crime.

26 May 2016: Cabinet Secretary Roseanna Cunningham responds with this:

A decision on whether to extend the investigatory powers of the Scottish SPCA will be announced in due course.

1 September 2016: Two years after the consultation closed and still nothing.

9 January 2017: Mark Ruskell MSP (Scottish Greens) submits the following Parliamentary question:

Question S5W-05982 – To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will publish its response to the consultation on the extension of wildlife crime investigative powers for inspectors in the Scottish SPCA.

17 January 2017: Cabinet Secretary Roseanna Cunningham responds:

A decision on whether to extend the investigatory powers of the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will be announced in the first half of 2017.

31 May 2017: Cabinet Secretary Roseanna Cunningham rejects an extension of powers for the SSPCA ‘based on legal advice’ and instead announces, as an alternative, a pilot scheme of Special Constables for the Cairngorms National Park (here). It later emerged in 2018 that this pilot scheme was also an alternative to the Government’s 2016 manifesto pledge to establish a Wildlife Crime Investigation Unit as part of Police Scotland – a pledge on which it had now reneged (see here).

November 2019: The pilot scheme of Special Constables in the Cairngorms National Park was an absolute failure as a grand total of zero wildlife crimes were recorded by the Special Constables but plenty were reported by others (see here).

June 2020: Mark Ruskell (Scottish Greens) proposed further powers for the SSPCA at Stage 2 of the Animals and Wildlife Bill. The latest Environment Minister, Mairi Gougeon persuaded him to withdraw the proposed amendment on the basis that she’d consider establishing a taskforce to convene ‘this summer’ to consider increased powers (see here).

December 2020: Mark Ruskell (Scottish Greens) submits two Parliamentary questions asking about the status of the taskforce and who is serving on it (see here).

January 2021: New Environment Minister Ben Macpherson says the taskforce has not yet been appointed but that it is “expected to be established later this year“.

UPDATE 23rd January 2021: This blog article was picked up by Brinkwire here