Monday, 3 June 2013
GALLERY UPDATED
We have added a few more photos to the Gallery today! Please be aware some people may find some of the photos distressing (especially the one of WCO Josh Marshall with the Countryfile presenter!! ;-)
UK WILDLFE CRIME PRIORITIES AND INTELLIGENCE REQUIREMENTS
Crimes against wildlife are widespread, numerous and varied. However, the NWCU has limited resources and, accordingly, has to focus its efforts to gain maximum impact. NWCU is therefore informed by the wildlife crime Conservation Advisory Group in relation to the current conservation status of UK species. READ MORE....
Op Hathor - Cornish Chough Update
Latest update from our RSPB partner, Claire Mucklow regarding our Cornish Choughs:
The last week has been one of both tremendous highs and lows for us in Cornwall.
I’m very sad to have to report the loss of our wonderful male chough from Southerly Point on the Lizard. Just over a week ago a volunteer witnessed two choughs locked in combat for the most part of the day, and it appears that the new younger bird has ousted and probably killed the older male. I always joke ‘they will live forever’ when people ask me how long the pair at Southerly Point will be around, but sadly choughs are not invincible and nature in all its rawness has won the day. An end of an era, and the loss of a very special bird.
What a legacy that chough and his mate have left Cornwall with though. Since they returned in 2001 they have brought so much joy to those lucky enough to spend time with them and a real sense of Cornish pride enveloped them. The pair together raised 44 chicks and many of those birds have gone on to breed themselves, securing a future for choughs in Cornwall. Proper job!
But, there is a happier twist to this tale. The new male, a bird often seen in the company of the Lizard pair, has adopted the old male’s chicks – extraordinary as normally a bird would try to kill any chicks that were not his. This is new behaviour, possibly not previously recorded for choughs. The female having invested so much time and energy in her new brood has accepted this new male and together they are feeding her two chicks, which are around two weeks old. Here’s hoping the female and her new mate will live for many a year.
Talking of chicks, there are already chough fledglings, five youngsters took to the skies last week in Penwith. The crazy weather has really affected the breeding season with six weeks between first and last broods, the last chicks will not fledge until early July. The total number of young for this season is 16, two broods of five, and three broods of two. There are a further three pairs of choughs that have shown signs of breeding but they are too young this year.
Hope this finds you all well, thanks for all your continuing interest and support for choughs.
Claire Mucklow
Cornwall Projects Manager
07764 230246 / 01392 453775
@cornishchoughs
www.cornishchoughs.org.uk
NWCU - Bird of the Month - HEN HARRIER
.jpg)
Nice article on link below about Hen Harrier persecution on the new NCWU website:
NWCU Website Launch
Today sees the launch of the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) website. It can be accessed via:
The website explains what wildlife crime is, details the role of the unit, how tackling different wildlife crime across the UK is prioritised and how users can report wildlife crime. It highlights the sort of information users can provide to help combat such crime, either by contacting their local Police force or CRIMESTOPPERS.
The new website will give users access, via links, to the latest media releases relating to wildlife crime investigations and prosecutions involving the NWCU, the Police and other UK law enforcement agencies engaged in the fight against wildlife crime
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)