- The Observer
14 11.08.19 News
New chicks raise hope
for hen harrier survival
... but shooters take aim
Despite a successful
breeding season, the
endangered birds still
face serious threats
ing pairs and produced 47 chicks- improving on the previous high
point of 46 set in 2006, news that
was hailed “as a positive result” by
the organisation.
“It is very welcome to see this
improvement,” said Natural
England’s chairman, Tony Juniper.
But the announcement was immedi-
ately condemned by the RSPB.
“This success is tarnished by the
clear evidence that illegal killing [of
hen harriers] continues with no sign
of it coming to an end,” said Chris
Corrigan, the RSPB’s director for
England.
“By the government’s own fig-
ures we should have over 300 pairs
of hen harriers sky dancing above
the English countryside, and yet the
species remains on the brink of local
extinction.”
Hen harriers have been targeted for
decades because the raptors – which
eat mainly small birds and mammals- are considered a threat to the prof-
itability of grouse shooting estates.
As a result, some gamekeepers trap
or shoot them illegally.
In February, Natural England pub-
lished a study paper that analysed
the fi ndings of satellite tagging data
collected over 10 years. The study
revealed that young hen harriers in
England suffer abnormally high mor-
tality , with the most likely cause being
illegal killing. This point is acknowl-
edged by Juniper.
“The hen harrier is still very far
from where it should be as a breed-
ing species in England, not least due
to illegal persecution,” he admitted.
To maintain hen harrier num-
bers, Natural England – working
A row has broken out between con-
servation groups over the well being of
one of Britain’s most critically endan-
gered birds of prey: the hen harrier.
The dispute reveals a basic divide
between experts on how to save the
birds from eradication in Britain.
Natural England announces today
that 2019 has been a record year for
breeding success in England. A total
of 15 nests had 12 successful breed-
Robin McKie
Science EditorПОДГОТОВИЛАГРУППА"What's News"
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