Minister backs pledge to stop birds of prey slaughter (From The Northern Echo)

Minister backs pledge to stop birds of prey slaughter

12:10am Thursday 23rd October 2008 in News

SHOOTING groups, conservationists and the Government will today unite to condemn the illegal killing of birds of prey.

The new Wildlife Minister, Huw Irranca-Davies, is visiting the North-East to sign a pledge recognising the importance of birds such as red kites and hen harriers as part of England's natural heritage.

The pledge also recognises the conservation importance of raptor species and says there ''should be no place in England's future for the illegal killing of birds of prey''.

Mr Irranca-Davies said the countryside would be a poorer place without birds of prey.

He is joining 25 organisations including the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), Natural England, the RSPCA and the RSPB at the National Trust's Gibside Estate in Newcastle today to sign the pledge.

The area is home to a successful project to reintroduce red kites to the North-East after an absence of 150 years.

''The only way we can stamp out the illegal killing of birds of prey is by everyone with an interest in our countryside working together.

Dr Mark Avery, RSPB

Today's event comes the day after a UK-led international agreement was reached to protect migratory birds of prey and owls across Europe, Africa and Asia.

The conservation and shooting groups called for everyone with an interest in the English countryside to work together to conserve birds of prey, which are still persecuted despite legal protection.

Dr Mark Avery, the RSPB's director of conservation said today's pledge was a ''massive step in the right direction'' for conserving England's birds of prey.

''We know what can be achieved when we get it right and the continuing recovery of red kites in England, including here in the Derwent Valley, is a great example.

''We now need to get it right for other birds of prey like the hen harrier, which is on the verge of extinction in England because of illegal killing.

''The only way we can stamp out the illegal killing of birds of prey is by everyone with an interest in our countryside working together,'' he said.

BASC chief executive John Swift said: ''Strict protection under the law can only be anticipated if due regard is given to local rural communities and people's livelihoods.

''By working together we can find good solutions.''

The RSPB is running a campaign to end the illegal killing of birds of prey, which it blames largely on people working in or associated with the shooting industry.