SHOOTING HAS A ‘ZERO TOLERANCE’ POLICY TOWARDS RAPTOR PERSECUTION

BRITAIN’S biggest membership organisation representing shooting sports has responded to the report, stressing it would never condone the illegal killing of a bird of prey.

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) along with other organisations that promote shooting sports, has a zero tolerance policy towards anyone involved with shooting who is found to have committed wildlife crime.

A spokesperson said yesterday: “BASC has a zero tolerance attitude towards the illegal killing of birds of prey, any member found guilty of wildlife crime will be expelled.

“Through wildlife and habitat management, the shooting community have played a significant role in overseeing the population levels of most UK birds of prey rise to record highs.

“There are conservation success stories for red kites, buzzards, merlin and more. Supported by the shooting organisations and financially by BASC, the undertaking of Natural England’s Hen Harrier Joint Action Plan has seen numbers of hen harriers at their highest level in England for decades.

“The tiny minority of those in the shooting community who are involved in the illegal killing of birds of prey are simply killing off their own future. The illegal killing of birds of prey remains the easiest and most public route for those against shooting to campaign for further restrictions.”

Shooting organisations say they recognise that to stamp out the minority who believe raptors are a threat to game shoots pressure needs to come from within the game shooting community.

The joint policy, endorsed by all the official bodies representing shooting urges shoot owners and managers to take responsibility for ensuring that raptor crime is not happening on their land and shoots. They say raptor persecution prevention should be treated similarly to standards such as health and safety and that everyone engaged on a shoot should know it will not be tolerated.