Tag: poisoning

Head gamekeeper charged with wildlife crime & firearms offences at Holkham Estate, Norfolk

The head gamekeeper at Holkham Estate, Norfolk, has been charged with  a series of wildlife crime and firearms offences following a police investigation, according to The Fakenham Times.

41 year-old Nicholas Parker of Main Road, Holkham, has been charged with the following: killing a Schedule One wild bird, taking game out of season, possessing ammunition for a firearm without a certificate, possessing a shotgun or rifle for committing an either way wildlife offence, possessing a shotgun without a certificate, and contravening the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

He has apparently been suspended from his job since the allegations came to light last year. The report says he has been released on police bail and will appear before King’s Lynn magistrates on Wednesday 9 February 2011.

News story here: http://www.fakenhamtimes.co.uk/news/country_estate_head_gamekeeper_charged_1_782567

Nicholas Parker joined the Holkham Estate staff in April 2008, after working for six years for the Van Cutsem shoot on Mossdale Estate in North Yorkshire. Here’s his self-introduction in the Holkham Estate newsletter (page 13): Holkham Estate newsletter 2008

It’s not the first time that Holkham Estate has been at the centre of a wildlife crime investigation. In March 2000, a Holkham Estate gamekeeper was fined £850 for the killing of three kestrels on the estate. He admitted to shooting two birds and poisoning a third with a Carbofuran – baited pheasant carcass because he blamed them for attacking young partridges. Following the keeper’s conviction, a 37 year-old land agent and a 62 year-old head keeper were both convicted of three charges of allowing the gamekeeper on the 25,000-acre estate to illegally store poison. Although they denied the charges, they were fined £1,200 and £750 respectively. They both appealed and their cases were heard at Norwich Crown Court on 9 October 2000. Judge Lawrence stated that, although the standard of supervision of the use of poisons on the estate “left something to be desired”, he had reached the conclusion that the gamekeeper was acting independently. Both appeals were upheld.

Twelve charges were also brought against Viscount Coke, heir to the family’s estate in north Norfolk, for allowing the gamekeeper to illegally use poison on the estate. However, Fakenham magistrates said the Viscount had no case to answer. It is claimed that Viscount Coke threatened to sue the police and the crown prosecution service after he was cleared of all involvement. News story here: http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/peers-gamekeeper-fined-for-killing-three-kestrels-721792.html and here: http://nwhsa.redblackandgreen.net/convicted_gamekeepers.htm

It’s very interesting to note that the name of the convicted gamekeeper appears in the latest edition of the Holkham Estate newsletter (Winter 2010) – still employed there then, even with a criminal conviction? So much for estates wanting to rid the industry of those who persecute raptors!

The now 45 year-old Viscount Coke appears to be quite a character. Educated at Eton, he was apparently a former page of honour to the Queen. He took over the estate when his father retired in 2007 and lives with his family in Holkham Hall on the estate. It has been reported that he is a principal trustee and spokesperson for the charity Songbird Survival – notorious for its views against raptors: http://www.againstcorvidtraps.co.uk/songbird_survival/bloodsports

According to the current Holkham Estate website, nine gamekeepers are employed and “a predator control programme is exercised within the law”: http://www.holkham.co.uk/html/farming.html

A former head keeper at Holkham is Simon Lester, now head keeper at the Langholm Moor Demonstration Project in Scotland. Simon & the Viscount’s father, the Earl of Leceister, express their views about raptors in a revealing article here: Holkham Estate partridges & raptors 2006

buzzard poisoners in Derbyshire get away with it

On 30 April 2010, an article was posted on this blog about an investigation by Derbyshire police into the apparent poisoning of six buzzards. Here’s a quick re-cap:

On 22 February 2010, two dead buzzards were found in Jebbs Lane, Idridgehay, nr Ashbourne in Derbyshire. The birds were believed to have been poisoned. On 7 April 2010, a further four buzzards were found dead nr Kirk Ireton, just a few miles away from the dead buzzards that had been found in February. These four buzzards were also believed to have been poisoned, and were found next to a dead pheasant, believed to have been used as a poisoned bait.

In a recent report, the following details have emerged on the outcome of this investigation:

“Feb 22 2010: 2 dead buzzards found on the ground and chicken bait found in a tree. Analysis has confirmed a residue of Carbofuran in the gizzard of both birds, which is likely to be the cause of death. As the police have failed to identify a suspect, this case is now closed“.

“April 7 2010, link to Feb 22 case: 4 buzzards found dead, 2 baits (pheasant & hare). Six buzzards have now been found on this estate. The estate is trying to make the shooting part of the estate viable and new gamekeepers have been employed. Analysis has confirmed a residue of Carbofuran in the crop content of the birds. The amounts are significant and are likely to be the cause of death. An advisory letter to dispose of Strychnine found has been sent and complied with. This case is now closed“.

So, six buzzards are confirmed to have been poisoned by Carbofuran (a banned pesticide) and two poisoned baits were found on the same sporting estate within a small period of time. The name of the estate has not been published (surprise!). Presumably, a search of the un-named estate failed to uncover any stocks of Carbofuran, but did uncover a stock of Strychnine. Strychnine is also a banned pesticide, outlawed in the UK since September 2006 by the EU’s Biocide Directive, which states that it can no longer be sold or stored in the UK. Instead of being prosecuted for this illegal stash, the criminals get sent an ‘advisory letter’. No action is taken against them for the six illegally poisoned buzzards.

And if you think this is an unacceptable outcome, the news we will release shortly (about another case) will blow your mind….

illegal poisoning hampers red kite population growth in Scotland

On the face of it, Scotland’s red kite population appears to be doing well. Red kites used to be a common and widespread feature of our countryside, but became extinct in almost the entire United Kingdom in the early 1900s, after gamekeepers persecuted them to oblivion. A national reintroduction project began in 1989, bringing kites from mainland Europe and releasing them at strategic locations throughout the country.

Figures just released from the 2010 breeding season show that in Scotland, the numbers of breeding pairs are thought to be at their highest level since the project began in 1989. 166 breeding pairs were located, and 291 young fledged – an increase on 2009 figures.

However, recent scientific research has shown that the Scottish red kite population is not growing as rapidly as a similar reintroduced population in southern England, mainly due to the continued use of illegal posion being laid out in the Scottish countryside. As kites are a scavenging species, they are particularly susceptible to feeding from poisoned baits. At least 6 red kites were poisoned in Scotland in 2010 – and these were just the ones that were found. The illegal poisons Carbofuran and Aldicarb were responsible for their deaths. We also know about several more red kites that had been found dead in suspicious circumstances but that the police chose not to investigate. In addition to the illegal poisoned baits, 11 young kites died after eating prey that contained high concentrations of legal rodenticide. Although legal, there are still precautions needed when using rodenticides and efforts are being made to ensure that those people using this method of poison are fully aware of the user guidelines, especially about placement of the bait.

In addition to illegal and legal poisoning, in recent years Scottish red kites have also been killed illegally by being shot, and by being caught by the legs on a spring trap and being clubbed to death.

BBC News story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-12088673

Another sea eagle poisoned in the Irish Republic

Just when you thought that 2010 couldn’t get any worse for reports of poisoned eagles, we hear that yet another sea eagle has been killed in Kerry, Republic of Ireland.

This young female, only released into Ireland in the summer as part of the re-introduction scheme, is the 9th eagle since 2007  to be illegally killed in Ireland. This one was poisoned in a notorious sheep-farming area known locally as The Reeks, where another eagle had been previously shot.

The poisoning is despite strict legislation banning poisoned bait to control foxes, introduced in October after an outcry by conservation groups and representatives in Norway (who have donated the eagles for release) over the recent spate of poisonings in Ireland.

The police are investigating and are understood to be following a definite line of enquiry. Sounds familiar? Sounds like another soundbite to me – no doubt that this eagle’s killer will never be brought to justice, just like all the other eagle killers in Ireland and Scotland – nobody has ever been convicted of killing one of these magnificent creatures. Why is that? Perhaps John Scott MSP was right – perhaps they are all just imaginary crimes….

Full news story from the Irish Times: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/1222/breaking37.html

Alex Hogg blames conservationists for depleting golden eagle population

Alex Hogg, Chairman of the Scottish Gamekeepers’ Association (SGA), has today spouted yet another ill-informed attack on the Irish Golden Eagle Project  http://www.scottishgamekeepers.co.uk/content/another-scottish-eagle-killed-ireland claiming that it makes “absolutely no sense” for Scotland to continue providing golden eagle chicks to augment the growing Irish golden eagle population.

He fails to comprehend that eagle chicks are only collected in Scotland from nests with twins (where more often than not, only one chick will naturally survive), and that chicks are only collected in areas of Scotland where scientists believe the species has a favourable conservation status (this means that chicks are collected from very few areas).

Yes, persecution in Ireland is a problem, as we have seen in recent months, but it is nowhere near the problem levels here in Scotland. I think that Alex makes such ridiculous claims against the Irish Project because he’s either very stupid, or because he’s trying to deflect attention away from the Scottish poisoning events. Or both. I wish he would make such a fuss about the eagle poisoning incidents in Scotland – six confirmed poisoned this year alone, and a further four from this year currently under investigation. Have we heard an outcry from Alex and his SGA chums about these, plus all the other confirmed raptor poisonings in Scotland this year and in previous years? What we have heard from him is his continual bleatings about how gamekeepers need to be given licences to kill protected raptors.

Perhaps he should read this report into the Irish Golden Eagle Project – it provides all the information he’ll need so that his next commentary on golden eagle conservation can be based on facts, not fiction. Irish Golden Eagle Project Review 2009

two more buzzards poisoned in Scotland

Two dead buzzards found next to a poisoned rabbit bait were poisoned by carbofuran. The buzzards and the bait were discovered in a farm field near Boat of Garten on October 15 this year, by staff from the Strathspey Estate. They called the police and the birds were sent off for toxicology tests. A spokesman from Strathspey Estate said they were shocked by the poisoning. He added, “Considering the efforts made to enhance the wildlife conservation and biodiversity on the estate, it is inconceivable that any of our staff had any part whatsoever in the laying of poisoned bait“.

Northern Constabulary and Strathspey Estate are “working closely” to find those responsible. I’m not sure how delaying the news of these deaths for 7 weeks will have helped the investigation but still, at least Northern Constabulary appear to be involved this time. Shame we can’t report the same for the two poisoned eagles found dead on Northern Constabulary’s patch back in June. Six months have now elapsed and still no news…

BBC news for the buzzard poisoning: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-11958330

Strathspey Estate is owned by the Earl of Seafield, who also owns the Seafield Estate. A buzzard was found poisoned by chloralose on Seafield Estate back in 1991, but no further public records of alleged raptor persecution have appeared since then. Strathspey Estate is actively involved in projects on capercaillie and Scottish wildcat, and is also helping with the satellite-tracking of two golden eagles born on the Estate in summer 2010. The Earl of Seafield signed the SRBPA/SEBG letter to Roseanna Cunningham in May 2010, on behalf of the Seafield & Strathspey Estates, condemning the illegal poisoning of raptors in Scotland. Sandy Lewis, the Chief Executive of Seafield Estate was previously the Chair of the SEBG (Scottish Estates Business Groups), and is, according to the SEBG website, currently their regional rep for North and West Scotland. He was involved in a fascinating legal case earlier this year, involving a grouse-shooting lease in Strathspey. The case also involved land agents Mark Osborne and Nick Baikie, familiar names to readers of this blog. Here are two links to that story:

http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/mail-on-sunday-london-england-the/mi_8003/is_2010_August_8/pocket-sportsman-grouse-court-told/ai_n54730059/

http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/opinions/2010CSOH62.html

Scottish golden eagle poisoned in Ireland

A young golden eagle, just a few months old, has been poisoned and killed by the illegal pesticide Carbofuran in Ireland. The young bird was born in the Outer Hebrides earlier this summer, and was donated to the Irish golden eagle reintroduction project, where it was released in August 2010. It was found dead on 1st November 2010, aged 5 months old. Tests revealed it was killed by Carbofuran. Police are investigating.

This brings the total known eagle deaths resulting from illegal poisoning in the British Isles this year to TEN (4 golden eagles & 1 sea eagle in Scotland, and 3 sea eagles & 2 golden eagle in Ireland). Take note, John Scott MSP – is this what you call imaginary?

WHEN IS THIS GOING TO STOP?

Full news story here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-11937623

SGA announces new vice-chairman

The Scottish Gamekeepers’ Association has announced the appointment of a new Vice-Chairman – Peter Fraser. According to the SGA website, Peter has been employed as a stalker on the Invercauld Estate, Aberdeenshire, for 41 years and “is highly regarded throughout the industry for his knowledge and experience of the hill environment and the countryside“. He’s probably also well aware of the continuing problem of illegal raptor persecution, especially as Invercauld Estate has been reported to be at the centre of several allegations over the years. Although as only one of these allegations ever resulted in a conviction, it could be argued that the others were all scurrilously and falsely levelled at Invercauld Estate employees. We all know that Invercauld Estate is against the illegal poisoning of raptors, because they signed the SRPBA letter to say so.

Peter has made a good start to his new role as Vice-Chair, as he apparently has argued ‘that in order to move forward the industry has to abide by the rules set by government’. Great insight. All that thinking time while stalking animals across the Scottish hills for 41 years has obviously been well used.

Peter is no stranger to voicing his opinions in the media either. In a televised interview with STV, he speaks fondly of golden eagles, saying: “A beautiful bird, part of our natural heritage and must always remain so“. Unfortunately, it appears he doesn’t feel the same way about goshawks, as he calls them “ruthless killers” and says they “kill for fun“. Perhaps Peter doesn’t view goshawks as part of our natural heritage, or understand that as a predator, they kill to survive, because, er, that’s what predators do?

Never mind. Peter and his colleague, SGA Chairman Alex Hogg, will make an entertaining formidable debating team in the Scottish political arena and we look forward to hearing about their efforts to stop the continued illegal killing of raptors by people within the shooting industry.

Here is the SGA announcement of Peter’s appointment: http://www.scottishgamekeepers.co.uk/content/new-sga-vice-chairman-elected

Here is Peter’s interview on STV: http://video.stv.tv/bc/scotland-outdoors-20080530-gamekeeping-in-the-highlands/

Law to stop raptor poisoning likely to be strengthened

As many of you will know, for the past few months the Rural Affairs & Environment Committee of the Scottish Parliament has been hearing evidence on the proposed WaNE bill (Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill. Certain measures included in this Bill will, if accepted, help to address the on-going issue of illegal raptor persecution across Scotland.

The RAE Committee has today published its Stage 1 Report of this Bill, and they should be congratulated for their interest in, and support of, many of the suggestions made by several wildlife conservation groups to tackle raptor persecution crimes.

In a press release, Committee Convenor Maureen Watt MSP said, “We utterly condemn wildlife crime and the poisoning of iconic birds of prey such as the golden eagle and the hen harrier. The law clearly needs to be strengthened and introducing vicarious liability appears to most of us to be a step in the right direction.”

Stage 2 of the WaNE Bill is expected to take place in December.

Here is a summary of the relevant parts of the report that deal with raptor persecution:

The Committee condemns as wholly unacceptable the illegal killing of raptors which continues across Scotland. The Committee recommends that the Scottish Government instructs police forces to investigate rigorously suspected cases of raptor persecution. The Committee also recommends that the Scottish Government likewise instructs the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscals office to prosecute wildlife crime vigorously.

The Committee concludes, from all evidence taken on this issue, that detection, investigation and prosecution of this crime is not resulting in a significant reduction in cases of raptor persecution, and that this should be addressed.

The Committee welcomes the Scottish Government’s intention to bring forward an amendment at Stage 2 to introduce a vicarious liability offence in the Bill, which it considers to be a helpful step in the right direction. The Committee awaits further detail on this, which was not available before the conclusion of evidence-taking at Stage 1. The Committee recognises there could be significant challenges in securing convictions under such new provisions, but believes the strengthening of the law in this regard is a helpful addition to the range of provisions available for potential prosecution.

The Committee notes that the majority of private landowners are appalled by raptor persecution. The Committee considers that such landowners should have nothing to fear from a vicarious liability provision.

The Committee welcomes the principle of the estates initiative, a voluntary good governance scheme for private land managers currently being prepared by the SRPBA, and agrees with the Minister that the scheme should be supported and given an appropriate amount of time to become established. However, the Committee also notes that the scheme will be voluntary and will therefore lack the power to compel estates that do not wish to take part. The Committee would welcome clarification from the Minister on how she plans to support the initiative.

The Committee accepts that it would represent a challenge and a significant development of policy to introduce a fully worked up system for licensing sporting estates in the Bill at this stage. The Committee also notes that the issue would not have been subject to consultation and as a result introducing such a system would be inappropriate at this time. However, the Scottish Government may wish to consider the appropriateness of introducing an enabling power in to the Bill which would permit them to introduce a licensing scheme, only after full consultation with stakeholders and parliamentary scrutiny under the super-affirmative procedure. Should it take the power, the Scottish Government could consider formally adopting the estates initiative with appropriate modifications as a code of conduct applicable to all estates. However, any such power should only be used if the Scottish Ministers are not satisfied that the voluntary approach to good governance and any vicarious liability offence are working.

The Committee notes Sheriff Drummond’s proposal to establish a presumption of guilty intent for anyone found in possession of a regulated substance. The Committee also notes his comments on whether an employer could be proven to have knowingly caused or permitted the possession of such a substance. The Committee considers that Sheriff Drummond’s proposals, and the introduction of a vicarious liability offence, are not mutually exclusive, and invites the Scottish Government to consider the proposal.

The Committee also notes the view that there is a further gap in the armoury of potential offences, that which seeks to catch those “concerned in” the use of illegal poisons for the purpose of raptor persecution or in other activity “concerned in” the offence of bird persecution. The Committee urges the Scottish Government to consider developing further offences which cover these points to further strengthen the grounds for potential prosecution.

The Committee invites the Scottish Government to consider the merits of announcing an amnesty on illegal substances such as carbofuran.

The Committee recommends that the Scottish Government reports to Parliament annually on the number of illegal raptor killings, detailing the number of cases brought and those which were successfully prosecuted.

The full report can be read here: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/committees/rae/reports-10/rur10-08-00.htm

police investigate suspicious red kite deaths in Northumberland

Police are investigating the deaths of five red kites in the North-East of England. The deaths in the Northumberland area span a period of seven months and appear to be the results of poisoning.

Full story here: http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/8683086.Red_kite_deaths_could_be_due_to_poisoning/