FROM WILD JUSTICE. THE KILLING OF HEN HARRIERS ON GROUSE MOORS AND I AM WEARING THE ´T´SHIRT

Good morning, In today’s newsletter we bring you some upsetting recent news which relates to the illegal killing of five Hen Harrier chicks on a grouse moor in northern England. Although this incident happened in 2024 it’s only just come to light now as a result of a Freedom of Information request. For anyone who is new to this subject and our recent followers, we’ve included a brief overview of raptor persecution, summarising why it happens and its significant link to gamebird shooting. Raptor persecution – what is it? All raptors (birds of prey) in the UK are protected by law. Despite this, across the UK they are being illegally killed. These crimes are intentional, often pre-meditated and when highly toxic poisons and illegal traps are used, can pose significant threats to wildlife, domestic animals and the general public. The majority of these crimes take place on land managed for gamebird shooting. This includes Pheasant and Partridge shooting and Red Grouse shooting. Detected raptor persecution incidents represent only a fraction of the overall number committed as these are happening in remote upland areas or inaccessible parts of the country (including Pheasant and Partridge shoots). It is also challenging as those committing these crimes will go to great lengths to ensure they don’t leave any evidence. Persecution has stalled the recovery of a number of species (many of which are still recovering from historic persecution) and hampered significant conservation efforts, including White-tailed Eagle and Golden Eagle reintroduction projects. Why? Those killing protected birds of prey do so to remove any potential threat of predation to their gamebird stocks to try to maximise the numbers available during the shooting season and therefore increase the profitability of the shoot. For those who kill these birds, the financial incentive outweighs the risks of being caught. Who? The majority of people convicted of bird of prey persecution are gamekeepers working on gamebird shooting estates. Just this year, three gamekeepers were convicted for raptor persecution crimes which all took place in 2024. A gamekeeper was caught on camera bludgeoning to death a Buzzard in a cage trap on a Pheasant shoot in North Yorkshire. Also in North Yorkshire, a head gamekeeper was caught, along with two co-workers, trying to kill a Hen Harrier at a roost on a Grouse shooting estate in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. And in Scotland a gamekeeper was caught on camera on a shooting estate beating a Goshawk to death in a cage trap. These crimes have been happening on gamebird shooting estates for decades. The evidence is stark. Hen Harrier persecution The Hen Harrier is a breeding bird of the uplands which typically nests on the ground on open moorland. It is the most heavily persecuted species in the UK and as a result one of the most vulnerable. The majority of Hen Harrier persecution incidents have been recorded in northern England on land managed for Red Grouse shooting. These crimes have supressed their numbers in England and Scotland to just a fraction of their potential. A study by Natural England revealed that Hen Harriers are ten times more likely to die or disappear on land managed for grouse shooting. Another study by the RSPB revealed that the pressure of illegal killing of Hen Harriers on grouse moors has reduced the average survival of young birds to just 4 months post fledging, meaning that most don’t make it to breeding age. The crimes In recent years several Hen Harriers have been found shot, trapped or poisoned on grouse moors and chicks killed in the nest. These crimes are often brutal and barbaric. Today we are highlighting an extremely disturbing Hen Harrier persecution incident which has just come to light after a Freedom of Information request was submitted to Natural England. Please read on with care. The following paragraph contains some extremely distressing information. In June 2024, on a grouse moor in County Durham, Natural England fieldworkers that were monitoring Hen Harriers found five very young Hen Harrier chicks dead in the nest. Post mortem analysis revealed that all of the chicks had injuries consistent with being stabbed multiple times by a sharp implement through the body. Evidence ruled out shooting, disease and predation. The pathologist concluded that all five chicks had been intentionally and illegally killed and were the victims of persecution. To read more about the case, and to see the post mortem reports for all five chicks (which include some very distressing images of the dead chicks) read the latest Raptor Persecution UK blog here. The crime took place on a grouse moor in County Durham in June 2024. Although Natural England, the National Wildlife Crime Unit (and its Hen Harrier Taskforce) and Durham Constabulary were all aware of this incident, it was kept from the public. There has been no media coverage, no public appeal for information and no one held to account for the illegal killing of these chicks. Why there has been total silence from the authorities is a mystery. A similar incident happened in 2022, also at a nest monitored by Natural England. In that instance four chicks aged between 8-12 days old were stamped to death in the nest during the night. North Yorkshire Police concluded that this had been deliberately done by a person. You can read more about this here and listen to this Guardian podcast by following this link. Incidentally, the chick’s mother, Susie, was later found dead on a different grouse moor with gunshot injuries. The illegal killing of birds of prey in the UK on land managed for gamebird shooting is unrelenting. In the case of the Hen Harrier, it is the main cause directly preventing this species from recovering. We should be able to see Hen Harriers across much of our uplands, but as a result of these crimes it is one of our most rare species in the UK. Without significant change these crimes will continue. Changes to policy, government initiatives and heightened enforcement efforts over recent years have all failed to put a stop to raptor persecution. Deterrents are weak and financial incentives for those who work in the gamebird shooting industry can be substantial. The person who killed these five chicks and the vast majority of those killing protected birds of prey are committing these crimes with little fear of detection or retribution, and so the killing continues. We need your help In September, Defra announced a Call for Evidence on the impact of gamebird shooting. The government is asking for anyone who has experiential evidence of the impacts of gamebird shooting to submit information. This is open until 1st November 2026. If you have been upset or angered by this horrific crime, other persecution incidents, or bird of prey persecution in general, please respond to this Call for Evidence. This is an important and rare opportunity to have your voice heard on this matter. Please use this chance to make a difference. You can fill in the form online or, if you’d rather, you can write an email directly to Defra Gamebirds@defra.gov.uk (include ‘Call for Evidence’ in the subject line). We’ve written some helpful guidance along with the link to Defra’s webpage which you can access here. Thank you, Wild Justice (CEO: Bob Elliot. Directors: Chris Packham and Ruth Tingay). This is the 276th Wild Justice newsletter. 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