In Scotland the authorities recognise that those who persecute birds of prey frequently do so at the direction of their employers or others with vested interests, and so introduced an offence of vicarious liability, the purpose of which is to bring those parties to justice.
A petition (link below) calls on the UK Government to introduce an offence of vicarious liability to bring to justice those who direct or turn a blind eye to raptor persecution in England.
As an indication of how bad thing are, in the last year only four pairs of Hen Harriers successfully reared chicks in England, fourteen Peregrine Falcon territories failed on grouse moors in the Lancashire Forest of Bowland, and only one successful Goshawk nest was recorded in the Derwent Valley, Derbyshire. Current legislation is not enough to deter those who break the law and destroy our heritage; the introduction of vicarious liability would hit those directing the slaughter.
Sign the petition here
I didn’t get out today, but acquired this shot of a Sparrowhawk in the back garden. It didn’t appear too well, maybe it has been in the Forest of Bowland.
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