Wildlife Crime — [Andrew Rosindell in the Chair]: 20 Mar 2019: Westminster Hall debates wildlife crime

In her response to the wildlife crime debate Therese Coffey demonstrates a distinct lack of understanding or willful ignorance on the issues of illegal hunting, raptor persecution and killing of hares. Does she get that hares are killed by their thousands in ways other than hare coursing and that the government have made those ways perfectly legal. They need protecting – full stop.

And we need an end to brood meddling. It clearly doesn’t work.

“In the recent judicial review into the lawfulness of Natural England’s decision to grant a licence for trials of hen harrier brood management, the claimants’ claims were dismissed. The proposed brood management scheme will continue. It seeks to manage the conflict between the conservation of hen harriers and the grouse shooting industry. That decision means the important work to protect and conserve the hen harrier can continue.”

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id=2019-03-20a.374.2#g393.3

Exhibition: Dinosaurs of China. Ground Shakers to Feathered Flyers

This exhibition is being held at Wollaton Hall in Nottingham through summer 2017, not far from me, and I am looking forward to visiting! 

http://www.dinosaursofchina.co.uk/

A Feathered Dinosaur Tail with Primitive Plumage Trapped in Mid-Cretaceous Amber: Current Biology

http://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(16)31193-9

Birds are more like ‘feathered apes’ than ‘bird brains’

Birds are more like ‘feathered apes’ than ‘bird brains’

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/radical-conservation/2016/nov/05/birds-intelligence-tools-crows-parrots-conservation-ethics-chickens

Hen Harrier Day: 9th August, 2015

For the second year running, I attended the Hen Harrier event organised by Mark Avery and attended by Mark and Chris Packham. This year they were supported by the RSPB and Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, and the event/demo was held at Goytsclough Quarry.

Estimated turnout numbered around 500 attendees on the day.

Here are some photos I took on the day. It certainly seemed to be even more popular than 2014’s Hen Harrier Day and that was a success! Much positive noise and determination to raise the profile of Hen Harriers and their persecution by land-owners and game-keepers in and around the Peak District and across the UK.

Mark Avery speaks to the attendees.

Chris Packham speaks to the attendees on Hen Harrier Day 2015.

 

Henry the Hen Harrier in the foreground; Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, Chris Packham and RSPB etc. line up for press photos.

Henry Hen Harrier and Chris Packham.

 

This area of the Goyt Valley has some beautiful habitats.

One the way home from Hen Harrier Day 2015.