Britain's killing fields: Wildlife crime doubles
They call us a nation of animal lovers, yet attacks on creatures in their natural habitats have more than doubled in a year 
By Jonathan Owen Crimes against wildlife, including badger baiting with dogs, hare coursing, poisoning of protected birds and even trapping them to sell as caged pets have soared to unprecedented heights. New figures from the police show that the number of wildlife crimes more than doubled in the last year, from 2,177 to 5,854. Incidents are now being recorded at a rate of 120 a week. They cover not only the slaughtering of badgers and rare birds of prey, but also egg thefts, bird trapping, deer poaching and habitat destruction. Rural areas are where most incidents occur, with Northumbria a conspicuous target for wildlife criminals. More than 500 incidents have been recorded there, with Grampian (244), Humberside (195), and North Wales (188) also wildlife crime hotspots. What make the statistics even more remarkable is that they do not include crimes against domestic and farm animals. In 2008, the RSPCA investigated 140,000 cases of animal cruelty in England and Wales, a steep rise from the 2003 figure of 105,000. The charity has seen dog fighting rise tenfold since 2004, with nearly 300 incidents last year. Airgun attacks on animals and rustling of sheep and cattle also appear to be on the rise. … One of the sharpest rises has been in what police call “badger persecution”, a term that includes badgers being dug out of their setts, pitted against terrier dogs in fights, and being shot by farmers, landowners or their agents. Between February and July this year, the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) recorded 241 incidents of badger persecution – a total that in just six months almost exceeded the 280 reported incidents in 2008. … People are betting on the outcomes of fights, he added, and live badgers can fetch a high price. “We have been told that in the Liverpool area, a live badger is worth £1,000 so that it can be fought with a dog.” … Detective Inspector Brian Stuart, head of the NWCU, said: “There is an increase in wildlife crime in general. We are seeking to use wider policing powers, such as the Proceeds of Crime Act, to target criminals where it hurts them most – in their pocket.” Dr Mark Avery, the RSPB’s conservation director, said: “There is far too much wildlife crime going on in the countryside. The scale of it is unacceptable in the modern age.” He added: “The hen harrier is pretty close to being extinct in England, in large part down to wildlife crime.” …
