Voting for Wildlife

Blacka is in the Peak District, an area with strong associations with the shooting industry which has been linked with wildlife crime. Driven grouse shooting has much to answer for in the recent history of persecution of birds of prey and other predators that are so vital to a properly functioning ecosystem. Birds like Peregrines, Buzzards, Hen Harriers are known to be targeted by those who profit from Grouse shooting. There should be far more birds of prey across the upland areas of this country including the Peak District, the Dales and Moors of North Yorkshire.

Birds like the young Peregrines currently fledging at Sheffield University will be lucky to survive unless we manage to protect them better from those intent on persecuting them. 

In Scotland there's rarely a week goes by without a report of birds being illegally killed to support the practice of driven grouse shooting (DGS). And let's remember that the artificial, over-exploited treeless state of our upland moors owes much to the rich men's sport of shooting grouse. Two petitions were recently presented to parliament, the larger one calling for an end to DGS, the second, smaller one a reaction to the first calling for the opposite. It was fascinating to see that the bulk of those signing the first were from areas where the shooting actually happened despite the shooting industry claiming the practice wasgood for the local economy! By contrast the largest numbers signing in support of DGS were clustered around London and the South East where you might expect to find wealthy people who could afford to enjoy themselves killing wildlife, an expensive hobby.

Some people in the Peak District will have a chance next week to cast their vote in a way that registers their disapproval of the current state of affairs:

http://markavery.info/2017/06/02/andrew-bingham-high-peak/?platform=hootsuite

Come to think about it, I've seen remarkably few birds of prey over recent months. I know there's a local shooting syndicate. Is there a link?

And why do we hear so little from the local conservation charities about this key issue - if anything at all?