LEGAL traps designed to catch pests are being targeted on the North York Moors – possibly from over-zealous do-gooders.

A number of such traps have been tampered with – and police are now urging the public not to interfere with them.

Wildlife officers point out that legal traps play an important part in reducing predation of eggs and chicks of ground-nesting birds such as lapwings, curlews and grouse.

Devices such as cage traps, Larsen traps and ladder traps contain a live bird of a pest species, which attracts other similar birds that enter the trap and cannot escape.

The pest species list includes crows, magpies, jays and rooks, and is maintained by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The traps are legal to use, as long as certain criteria are met - they must contain a perch for the bird, water and food.

Such traps must also be checked at least once each day, and any birds or animals not on the pest species list must be released unharmed.

Wildlife crime officer PC Andy Marsden said: “It is important that legal traps are not interfered with, as they play a part in reducing the predation of eggs and chicks of ground nesting birds such as lapwings, curlews and grouse.

“If you discover one of these traps and you are not certain of its use, please do not take it upon yourself to interfere with it.

“If you have concerns, photograph the trap in situ, get a GPS location if possible, and contact police so we can investigate. We take such reports very seriously, and will take decisive action against people who commit wildlife crime.”