By Guy Shorrock In recent years it appears that there has been an increasing public interest and involvement in environmental matters, including wildlife crime, and that social media has played a pivotal role in this trend. As a plethora of internet-based sharing sites have continued to develop, websites and bloggers have taken full advantage of this communication network. The power of social media was graphically illustrated by the recent campaign to challenge the European Commission’s ‘Fitness Check’ of the Birds and Habitats Directives, legislation that has underpinned EU environmental protection. In May 2015, around 100 UK organisations published a position statement warning that this was the single biggest threat to biodiversity in a generation. That view was shared across Europe with collaboration from four international networks: BirdLife International, the European Environment Bureau, Friends of the Earth and the World Wide Fund for Nature. Aided by the use of social media, a staggering 520,000 European citizens sent a clear message to the European Commission of the value they place on the Nature Directives and a call for a renewed focus on better implementation and enforcement. The seemingly unending problem of raptor persecution has also benefited from social media. Some of the notable sites taking up the cause include Raptor Persecution Scotland, Birders Against Wildlife Crime (BAWC) and Standing up for Nature, by former RSPB conservation director Mark Avery. The social reach of these, and others, is huge. Reports of wildlife crime, appeals for information and related topics can now be disseminated incredibly quickly. While social media is a fairly recent phenomenon, the spectre of raptor persecution has loomed over the UK, particularly much of our uplands, for generations. Encouragingly, in the last 30 years there has been much to celebrate with a dramatic increase in the numbers of Common Buzzards Buteo buteo and Red Kites Milvus milvus, the re-establishment of breeding White-tailed Eagles Haliaeetus albicilla, and significant increases in Ospreys Pandion haliaetus and Marsh Harriers Circus aeruginosus too. However, we can be under no illusion that the conservation outlook for several species remains grim and that persecution continues. A range of peer-reviewed work illustrates that serious issues remain for Hen Harriers C. cyaneus, Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos, Red Kites and Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus in various parts of the UK. So who or what is to blame? From the scientific research, from the physical evidence, from the occupations of those convicted (69% gamekeepers in the 25 years to 2015) and a mass of intelligence information received by the RSPB and the statutory agencies the answer is clear: the perceived conflict between healthy raptor populations and intensive gamebird shooting. Encouragingly, in lowland Britain, the expansion of Buzzards and Red Kites suggests that things are improving. Yet serious problems remain on the upland driven grouse moors of northern England and Scotland. The Hen Harrier epitomises the scale of the problem. In 2015, just six pairs reared 18 young in England, despite Government published science indicating that there is enough suitable habitat for over 300 pairs. While those figures are an increase from 2014, this was overshadowed by the mysterious ‘disappearance’ of five breeding males and resultant failure of those breeding attempts. The RSPB believes that the grouse shooting industry has to bear key responsibility for the poor conservation status of the Hen Harrier and some other raptors. Despite decades of legal protection, there is often little recognition of the problem and few signs of self-policing or acceptance that shooting must operate alongside healthy populations of Hen Harriers and others raptors in the landscape and within agreed environmental limits. While the gamekeeper typically gets most of the blame, the true situation is far more complex, with errant landowners, employers and managers creating the environment for them to operate. If a gamekeeper is prosecuted, they will typically be well defended, keep their job and may even have their fines paid. A single day’s grouse shooting may cost an individual over £2,000 – so fining the odd gamekeeper a few hundred pounds is an ineffective deterrent. In Spain, recent huge fines following wildlife poisoning incidents suggest that matters in the UK could be taken more seriously.

The illegal taking of this Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis and related offences in Scotland led to the first jailing of a gamekeeper. RSPB-images.com
The illegal taking of this Northern Goshawk and related offences in Scotland led to the first jailing of a gamekeeper. RSPB-images.com

So what is being done? In 2009, the Government announced its six national wildlife crime priorities, which included raptor persecution, and a focus on six species (Golden and White-tailed Eagles, Hen Harrier, Red Kite, Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis and Peregrine). The National Wildlife Crime Unit has a vital role in helping to drive forward these national priorities, yet its very existence has been under threat recently. Secure and long-term funding for the Unit is essential. Gathering hard evidence of offences committed in private and remote places remains incredibly difficult. The RSPB Investigations Section remains at the coalface and its involvement in gathering evidence and undertaking covert surveillance has been essential to the success of many court cases. This includes a very significant Scottish prosecution in December 2014 where, for the first time, a gamekeeper was jailed for raptor persecution. It will be interesting to see how this affects the psyche of others in this profession who are expected to break the law. While convictions are important, the Government needs to bring far more pressure on employers and managers who encourage or condone criminal behaviour. Scotland now has an offence of vicarious liability, to try to improve accountability; and there have been two prosecutions, which will hopefully focus the minds of individuals who have until now hidden quietly behind the actions of their staff. Getting such legislation in place across the UK would be a serious statement of intent from Government. In November 2014, a Norfolk gamekeeper was convicted for the worst English raptor poisoning case following the deaths of ten Buzzards and a Eurasian Sparrowhawk A. nisus on the Stody Estate. While he was perhaps fortunate to receive a suspended jail sentence, of more significance was the decision of the Rural Payments Agency to withdraw 75% of the agricultural subsidy paid to the estate in that year: an eye-watering sum of around £184,000. It is precisely this type of economic sanction that is most likely to focus the minds of estates about the actions of their staff. Again, the use of social media was instrumental in raising this issue and encouraging people to question the RPA about what action they were taking.

The poisoning of these Common Buzzards Buteo buteo led to the withdrawal of significant agricultural subsidy on the Stody Estate in Norfolk. Pic by Guy Shorrock/RSPB
The poisoning of these Common Buzzards led to the withdrawal of significant agricultural subsidy on the Stody Estate in Norfolk. Pic by Guy Shorrock/RSPB

In recent years a far wider range of environmental concerns associated with driven grouse-moor management have been brought into focus. Many upland areas are designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest. The UK has around 162,000 ha of upland blanket bog designated as SSSIs. These should be our upland crown jewels; yet just 10% of them are in favourable condition. In tandem with this there are widespread concerns about over-burning, greenhouse gas emissions, water contamination and health issues around the use of lead shot. The disastrous floods this past winter have also raised questions about whether poor land management may be exacerbating the problem in some areas, since both upland drainage and over-burning promote run-off. With these increasing wider environmental concerns there have also been calls for tighter regulation of the shooting industry. Compared with elsewhere in Europe and North America, game shooting in the UK is almost uniquely unregulated even though it is far more intensive in nature than almost anywhere else. With the serious and organised nature of crimes against raptors and other conservation problems, such sanctions would appear to be warranted. RSPB believes that a system of licensing could help, with an option to withdraw the ‘right’ of an individual to shoot game, or businesses to supply shooting services, for a fixed period following conviction for a wildlife or environmental offence. Some people want to go further and ban driven grouse shooting altogether. Mark Avery’s recent e-petition, initiated and promoted heavily via social media, garnered no fewer than 33,652 signatures in support of the idea, which shows the strength of feeling and the ability of social media to convey these concerns. In fact, he was sufficiently encouraged to launch a third petition, which is still running at the time of writing, and has just passed 32,000 signatures: here. Social media again came to the fore in helping to organise and promote the Hen Harrier Day events to highlight the continuing problems for this species. Despite torrential rain, in August 2014 around 570 soggy souls attended the first main event in the Peak District. In 2015, a social media Thunderclap message went out to 5.7 million people with the message: We’re missing our Hen Harriers – we want them back. A number of UK events took place and Chris Packham’s passionate speech to the 400+ attending the main event in Derbyshire highlighted the value of social media in raising awareness.

Social media was instrumental in promoting Hen Harrier day, Derbyshire August 2015. Pic by Guy Shorrock/RSPB
Social media was instrumental in promoting Hen Harrier day, Derbyshire August 2015. Pic by Guy Shorrock/RSPB

Birdwatchers and others in the countryside are the eyes and ears for many wildlife crimes. Reports via social media are now an important route for potential crimes to be reported to the authorities, and to the RSPB (which maintains the only centralised source of raptor persecution data, now stretching back several decades). There can also be some downsides to the immediacy of social media. It does allow incorrect or indeed misinformation to be circulated quickly. Occasionally, people are perhaps a little too quick to post information, such as possible wildlife crime, rather than reporting it to the police and allowing them and others make the necessary enquiries first. There is no doubt that social media is firmly here to stay and I believe that it has to be seen predominantly as a force for good, connecting people to what is happening in the environment and empowering them to campaign for change. Hopefully this will translate to real benefits for Hen Harriers and other raptors – if so, you will no doubt hear about it on social media first! Guy Shorrock is a Senior Investigations officer at the RSPB    

Volume: 
Issue 4
Start Page: 
192
Display Image: 

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