The Northern Constabulary headquarters in Inverness. Photo: Richard Dorrell CC-BY-SA-2.0
Police today carried out investigations into alleged wildlife offences on a Highland estate.
Officers from the Northern Constabulary launched the intelligence-led operation on the unnamed estate in the Inverness area.
Members of the National Wildlife Crime Unit, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have also been involved in the investigation.
A total of 25 police officers, including specialist wildlife crime experts, search teams and detectives were involved in the operation. Officers from the Scottish Government’s Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate also joined the investigators.
A police spokesperson said: “As inquiries are ongoing and this is very much a live investigation it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”
Police said they would like to hear from anyone who may have information regarding wildlife crime in the Highlands. Anyone with information is urged to contact Northern Constabulary on 0845 600 5703 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Persecution of birds of prey remains a big problem in parts of the Highlands. In June a peregrine falcon had to be put down by a vet after a walker found the bird, which had been shot, near Ballater. In March a golden eagle’s body was found on the Glenbuchat after it had been poisoned by an illegal pesticide, and in 2010 three bodies of golden eagles were found in east Sutherland.
Estates can face loss of subsidies if wildlife crime is found to have been carried out on their land.
Michael Wilson
19 July 2011There are old people being battered, neglected and denied pain relief in homes across the country. Hospitals are having drugs tampered with and people are dying. There is gang warfare in some of our big cities. Come on somebody. Get your priorities right.
Audrey Hay
20 July 2011Oh Michael, you really are so insular! This is what our country is all about, this is what attracts many tourists, which in a lot of remote areas are relied upon for income.
Get a grip of yourself! When you calculate just how many officers we do have in this country, 25 is a very very low percentage.
Why shouldn't we look after our wildlife as well as our people.
Andy
20 July 2011Re Michael Wilson's comment .....
Michael,
With your attitude, if you ever have your house or car broken into, I assume that you will consider it too minor to bother the police with.
Everyone who uses the countryside for work or leisure should treat it with respect - especially the wildlife that was there long before mankind.
Deliberately harming another animal is (rightly), a very serious crime. Do you also approve of cruelty to domestic animals like cats and dogs? Would you like to see cock-fighting reintroduced?
Shame on you!
Martin Hulme
20 July 2011Some of us consider that wildlife crime is a priority in parts of the Highlands. People come from all over the World to try and see our magnificent birds of prey in their natural habitat, so criminal activity by some gamekeepers and land owners is something that should not be tolerated, and deserves to be stamped out. Mentioning other crimes and abuse of old people is not an excuse for doing nothing about wildlife crime, but kind of gives the impression that you think that the police should be selective. Most people would expect the police to investigate all crime, but perhaps you don't consider killing our National bird a crime?
Richard Webb
20 July 2011"Hospitals are having drugs tampered with and people are dying. There is gang warfare in some of our big cities."
In Inverness?
An apologist for criminals?
Mike Coxon
20 July 2011It's about time that the Scotish Goverment placed legislation that Gillies (Gamekeepers) and other estate staff are vocationally Licenced. And if found guilty of allowing trapping,poisioning and killing of protected wildlife there vocational Licence is revoked,and they are unable to proceed with that livelyhood. and the landowner fined,and banned from holding stalking,shooting and fishing organised events for paying clientel for 1+ years after a successful case against them or their staff in a court of law.
This may curb the slaughter of protected wildlife in scotland.