Gamekeepers face charges for illegal snares prompting calls for stronger legislation

Stephen Price

Two men, believed to be gamekeepers on the Welsh shooting estate that covers Ruabon Moor, are to face prosecution for the alleged offence of setting illegal snares, amid calls for stronger protections for Wales’ native wildlife.

The news has prompted Wildlife Poisoning Research UK (WPRUK) to call on the Plaid Cymru led Welsh Government to confirm whether it is committed to introducing gamebird shoot licences to combat wildlife crime in Wales.

In March this year WPRUK published a report on the illegal poisoning of birds in Wales, showing that this widespread criminal activity was still continuing, even though banned in 1911.

The Labour Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Labour’s Huw Irranca-Davies MS, committed the Government “… to move towards a more regulated and sustainable system for managing gamebird releases, including the potential introduction of a future licensing regime. In order to progress this, I have initiated an independent call for evidence.”

Since Plaid Cymru gained power in May there has been little mention of how this review is proceeding.

WPRUK has now written to the new Plaid Cymru Environment Minister Llyr Gruffydd MS requesting a statement as to whether the Government is committed to the introduction of licensing for gamebird shoots.

Dr Ed Blane from WPRUK has said that incidents of wildlife crime in the Ruabon Moor area are part of a sickening catalogue of attacks on wildlife. These have included birds being found poisoned and hen harriers, one of Britain’s rarest birds of prey, simply vanishing from the skies.

He said: “From the incidents in the Ruabon Moor area, it is now clear that the current regulations to protect wildlife, including birds of prey with the highest level of protection, are simply not working.

“The Plaid Cymru Government must take action on this. Failure to act will just result in more wildlife being illegally killed.

“The evidence can no longer be ignored by politicians. There is an undeniable link between wildlife crime and land managed for gamebird shooting.

“It is essential that shoots are licensed to deter this criminal activity, with those shoots caught breaking the law losing their licences.”

The Welsh Government said:“ We have been working with Environment Platform Wales (EPW) to review the evidence base on gamebird releases in Wales.

“These findings are expected in its final report shortly. They will inform our approach for gamebird releases in Wales as well as the case for a future licensing regime.”