Flock of 25 sheep killed in 'monstrous' attacks in Northamptonshire

9 September 2019

A further 25 sheep have been found dead in a county where at least 143 have been illegally slaughtered this year.

The discovery was made at 08:00 BST in a field near Thornby, about 11 miles (17.7km) north of Northampton.

Northamptonshire Police said the pace of its investigation into this "monstrous" spate of killings was "unrelenting".

The force repeated its recent warning that illegally butchered meat may not be safe to eat.

Insp Tracy Moore said: "Unsurprisingly, the owner of these sheep is devastated and my officers are working around the clock to bring whoever is responsible for these monstrous acts to justice.

"The pace of this investigation is unrelenting and proactive officers continue to patrol the county's rural areas both day and night.

"We remain concerned about illegal meat entering the human food chain, as recent use of veterinary medication could mean it's unfit for human consumption."

Police urged anyone who has been offered cheap meat in suspicious circumstances to contact them and to only buy from reputable outlets.

Continued

'100,000 orangutans' killed in 16 years

By Victoria Gill

Science correspondent, BBC News

16 February 2018

More than 100,000 Critically Endangered orangutans have been killed in Borneo since 1999, research has revealed.

Scientists who carried out a 16-year survey on the island described the figure as "mind-boggling".

Deforestation, driven by logging, oil palm, mining and paper mills, continues to be the main culprit.

But the research, published in the journal Current Biology, also revealed that animals were "disappearing" from areas that remained forested.

This implied large numbers of orangutans were simply being slaughtered, said lead researcher Maria Voigt of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany.

Continued  

Rare flying foxes shot in 'horrific' Australia attack

November 14, 2017

Dozens of rare grey-headed flying foxes have been shot in remote bushland near Australia's eastern coast, authorities said Tuesday as locals told of a "horrific scene" when the carcasses were discovered.

The alleged killings followed a spate of animal mutilations in Victoria state involving native species including the kangaroo, wallaby and koala.

The flying fox, Australia's largest bat, is listed as a "vulnerable" species nationally with its survival ranked as a "critical priority" under local laws.

Rescuer Sammy Ringer said she was alerted to the deaths last week when a local resident in Conondale, a small town in the south of Queensland state, heard some shots being fired.

"As we got further into the colony, there was a pretty horrendous smell of bats that had been shot previously," she told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Tuesday.

"They had been lying on the ground for maybe a week or two."

Ringer, leading a small group of people into the bush, said it was a "horrific scene" and "we kept coming across more dead bats".

The rescuers tried to help baby bats whose mothers had been killed but only two were able to be saved, she added.

The state's environment and heritage protection department said it was investigating the incident, adding that it was illegal to kill flying foxes in Queensland without a licence.

Read more at: 

Skinned sea otter carcass found on California beach

October 19, 2017

The skinned carcass of a sea otter was found on a California beach, and investigators are trying to determine how it died and who took the pelt.

Federal and state wildlife officials said in a statement Wednesday that the young-adult female Southern sea otter was found on a beach in San Simeon on Sept. 26. Animals and insects had already scavenged it. Investigators made the discovery public in their search for information on who may be responsible.

Federal wildlife forensics specialists are examining the body.

Southern sea otters, sometimes called California sea otters, are a threatened species—though not yet an endangered species—under federal law.

Killing one can mean fines up to $100,000, and taking its pelt without a permit is illegal, even if it's already dead.

Source: 

Protected wildlife allegedly killed on Peak District shooting estate

 Police investigate after animal rights group films badgers allegedly being caught in snares and shot on the Moscar estate

Hunt Investigation Team’s film footage on the Moscar estate, a grouse-shooting estate in the Peak District.

Josh Halliday  North of England correspondent

Tuesday 11 July 2017 13.29 BSTLast modified on Tuesday 11 July 2017 22.00 BST

Police are investigating allegations that protected wildlife was killed on a shooting estate owned by the Duke and Duchess of Rutland.

Footage filmed by an animal rights group allegedly showed badgers caught in snares and shot this year.

The Hunt Investigation Team (HIT) , which filmed the footage, said it was part of “horrific wildlife persecution” on the Moscar estate, a grouse shooting estate in the Peak District.

It is a criminal offence to injure, kill or ill-treat badgers under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 in England and Wales.

The Moscar estate, near Bamford in Derbyshire, is owned by the 11th Duke of Rutland, David Manners, and Emma Manners, the Duchess of Rutland.

The pair, worth a reported £140m, also own the 6,000-hectare (15,000-acre) Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire, a stronghold established at the Norman conquest that has appeared in films including The Da Vinci Code and The Young Victoria.

A spokesman for the Duke and Duchess of Rutland said in a statement: “They were not aware of any alleged illegal activities being carried out on the land. They are horrified by these allegations and will investigate them fully.”

HIT said an estimated 400 wire snares were set across the estate alongside a variety of traps to catch mammals and birds.

Continued and video  

Key leopard population 'crashing', study warns

April 19, 2017 by Marlowe Hood

The clash between humans and leopards, experts agree, is mostly due to humanity's expanding footprint, especially in Africa, whose population is set to expand by more than a billion before mid-century

The leopard population in a region of South Africa once thick with the big cats is crashing, and could be wiped out within a few years, scientists warned on Wednesday.

Illegal killing of leopards in the Soutpansberg Mountains has reduced their numbers by two-thirds in the last decade, the researchers reported in the Royal Society Open Science journal.

"If things don't change, we predict leopards will essentially disappear from the area by about 2020," lead author Samual Williams, a conservation biologist at Durham University in England, told AFP.

"This is especially alarming given that, in 2008, this area had one of the highest leopard densities in Africa."

The number of leopards in the wild worldwide is not known, but is diminishing elsewhere as well. The "best estimate" for all of South Africa, said Williams, is about 4,500.

What is certain, however, is that the regions these predators roam has shrunk drastically over the last two centuries.

The historic range of Panthera pardus, which includes more than half-a-dozen sub-species, covered large swathes of Africa and Asia, and extended well into the Arabian Peninsula.

Read more at:

Killer of rare butterfly given six-month suspended sentence

Phillip Cullen ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work after illegally capturing and killing specimens of the large blue

Steven Morris

Friday 7 April 2017 12.41 BST Last modified on Friday 7 April 2017 22.00 BST 

An insect enthusiast who illegally captured and killed specimens of Britain’s rarest butterfly, the large blue, has been given a six-month suspended prison sentence. 

The amateur entomologist and former body builder Phillip Cullen, 57, was caught after being spotted by volunteers and wardens acting suspiciously at two nature reserves in the west of England.

When challenged by volunteers at one of the reserves, he claimed he was interested in parasitic wasps and orchids. 

Police later raided his terraced home in Cadbury Heath, near Bristol, and found a large number of mounted butterflies, including two large blues. 

Cullen’s sentence was suspended for two years and he was ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work for capturing the globally endangered butterflies at two protected sites. 

He was also given a five-year criminal behaviour order banning him from three nature reserves where the large blue is found.

Prosecutor Ian Jackson told the court: “These charges are not brought on the grounds of cruelty, they are brought on the grounds of endangering a species – a rare and beautiful butterfly that has once been found extinct and is struggling to establish a foothold.”

Michael Hartnell, defending, said: “He accepts the enormity of what he has done. He only had one from each site, but he accepts that if everybody did that they would die out.

“He is extremely remorseful. His interest in the countryside and wildlife is one he has had for a long, long time.”

Continued 

Elephant killings in Africa 'stabilise' but threat continues

By Matt McGrath Environment correspondent

28 July 2016 

The rapid growth in the illegal killing of African elephants seen since 2006 seems to have stabilised and may be decreasing.

Two new reports indicate that across the continent, the numbers of elephants being killed for ivory has slowed.

But the picture is mixed as the slaughter in Central and West Africa shows no sign of moderating.

Some experts believe that the decline in deaths could be down to fewer elephants being alive to poach.

Numbers high, trend down

The BBC investigated the war on elephants earlier this year and how it is fuelled by demand for ivory from Asia.

Now there is new data on the sources of the illegal killings from the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, better known as Cites.

They run two important elephant monitoring records that are seen as reliable indicators of what's happening on the ground.

A few months ago, the Mike programme (Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants) showed that number of deaths, which started to grow in 2006, peaked in 2011.

Even though the trend is moving in the right direction, there were still over 14,000 elephants killed in the period from 2003-2015.

The BBC also investigated the war on elephants this year and how it is fuelled by demand for ivory from Asia.

New data has also been published for the ETIS programme (Elephant Trade Information System).

This shows that while trading in illegal ivory reached its highest levels in 2012 and 2013, it had levelled off by 2014.

But while there are some positives in the overall picture for Africa, the regional differences are stark. Countries continue to destroy ivory stockpiles, like this burning in Kenya

Southern Africa is the area where poaching levels have remained consistently the lowest. It remains the only sub-region that has not seen illegal killings exceed natural deaths since monitoring began.

Continued ...

U.S. authorities probe killing of grizzly bear near Yellowstone

SALMON, Idaho (Reuters) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is investigating the killing of a grizzly bear near Yellowstone National Park in eastern Idaho, not far from where a grizzly attacked two biologists this month, state wildlife officials said on Saturday.

It is generally illegal to kill grizzlies in the 48 contiguous states, where the bears are listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. But the law does allow the animals to be killed if they are threatening humans.

The caretaker of a residence near the park shot the grizzly on Friday night, said Gregg Losinski, regional conservation educator with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

The caretaker was armed with a high-powered rifle while at the home because a grizzly had previously torn down a bird feeder on the property and eaten the seeds, Losinski said.

State wildlife biologists have collected tissue samples from the bear for DNA testing to compare with fur taken from a site nearby where a grizzly startled from sleep charged and bit two biologists on August 15.

Also on that day, a mother grizzly attacked and wounded two hikers who unexpectedly encountered the bear's cub, park officials said.

Grizzly and human conflicts happen mostly in the autumn when the bears are driven to seek food in order to bulk up before hibernation, said Losinski.

About 600 bears roam Yellowstone and its border states of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.

http://news.yahoo.com/u-authorities-probe-killing-grizzly-bear-near-yellowstone-010200702.html

New research reveals that more than 10% of Welsh livestock farmers have killed badgers illegally

January 2013. A little-used method for estimating how many people are involved in sensitive or illegal activities can provide critical information to environmental policy makers involved in the proposed UK badger culling scheme, according to new research.

‘Innovative techniques for estimating illegal activities in a human-wildlife-management conflict', a paper written by a research team from Bangor University, the University of Kent and Kingston University, has revealed - for the first time - the estimated rate of illegal badger killing.

More than 10% of livestock farmers in Wales have illegally killed badgers
Using a method known as the randomised response technique (RRT), the research has shown that more than 10% of livestock farmers in Wales have illegally killed badgers in the 12 months preceding the study. Previous research does not sufficiently consider whether illegal badger killing contributes to the spread of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) to livestock.

Read on:  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/badger-killing-wales.html

Fourth Critically Endangered Red wolf killed in North Carolina

4% of entire world population known to have been shot in the last 2 months

November 2012. In what can only be described as a growing and worrying trend, a 4th Red wolf has been shot dead in North Carolina since September. This fourth wolf was found with a suspected gunshot wound on November 14, 2012, north of Fairfield, in Hyde County, N.C. It's the fourth radio-collared red wolf taken since September.

Whilst Wildlife Extra doesn't know exactly where the wolves were killed, it appears that these 4 wolves were all shot within 30-40 kilometres of each other. A recent change of rules by the local Wildlife Commission to allow night hunting of coyotes is being blamed as Red wolves are difficult to tall apart from Coyote, especially at night. Wildlife Extra questions whether someone is persecuting these wolves on purpose, and even whether it is possible that, as all these wolves had radio collars, they are being tracked by someone other than the Wildlife Service.

Reward for information
Anyone with information that directly leads to an arrest or a criminal conviction for the suspected unlawful take of this red wolf may be eligible for a reward of up to $2,500. Anyone with information on the death of this red wolf or any others, past or future, is urged to contact Special Agent Sandra Allred at (919) 856-4786, Refuge Officer Frank Simms at (252) 216-7504 or North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Officer Robert Wayne at (252) 216-8225.

The red wolf is protected under The Endangered Species Act. The maximum criminal penalties for the unlawful taking of a red wolf are one year imprisonment and $100,000 fine per individual.

Continued:  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/red-wolf-killed004.html

Third Critically Endangered Red wolf killed in North Carolina

$2,500 Reward Offered for Information on Second Red Wolf Death

November 2012. The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service is requesting assistance with an investigation involving the suspected illegal take of a third radio-collared red wolf that was recently found dead.  The wolf was found with a suspected gunshot wound on November 2, 2012, north of Creswell, N.C., near the Washington and Tyrrell county line.  

This is the third Red wolf that has been killed recently, after a wolf was shot in North Carolina in September, and another Critically Endangered Red wolf was killed in North Carolina.

Anyone with information that directly leads to an arrest or a criminal conviction for the suspected unlawful take of this red wolf may be eligible for a reward of up to $2,500. Anyone with information on the death of this red wolf or any others, past or future, is urged to contact Special Agent Sandra Allred at (919) 856-4786, Refuge Officer Frank Simms at (252) 216-7504 or North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Officer Robert Wayne at (252) 216-8225.

The red wolf is protected under The Endangered Species Act. The maximum criminal penalties for the unlawful taking of a red wolf are one year imprisonment and $100,000 fine per individual.

Continued:  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/red-wolf-killed012.html

Second Critically Endangered Red wolf killed in North Carolina

$2,500 Reward Offered for Information on Second Red Wolf Death

October 2012. The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service is requesting assistance with an investigation involving the suspected illegal killing of a second radio-collared red wolf that was recently found dead. The wolf was found with a suspected gunshot wound east of Belhaven, in Beaufort County, North Carolina.

This is the second Red wolf that has been killed recently, after a wolf was shot in North Carolina in September

Anyone with information that directly leads to an arrest or a criminal conviction for the suspected unlawful take of this red wolf may be eligible for a reward of up to $2,500. Anyone with information on the death of this red wolf or any others, past or future, is urged to contact Special Agent Sandra Allred at (919) 856-4786, Refuge Officer Frank Simms at (252) 216-7504 or North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Officer Robert Wayne at (252) 216-8225.

The red wolf is protected under The Endangered Species Act. The maximum criminal penalties for the unlawful taking of a red wolf are one year imprisonment and $100,000 fine per individual.

Extinct in the wild
The red wolf (Canis rufus) is one of the world's most endangered wild canids. Once common throughout the south-eastern United States, red wolf populations were decimated by the 1960's due to intensive predator control programs and loss of habitat. A remnant population of red wolves was found along the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana. After being declared an endangered species in 1967, efforts were initiated to locate and capture as many wild red wolves as possible. Of the 17 remaining wolves captured by biologists, 14 became the founders of a successful captive breeding program. Consequently, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service declared red wolves extinct in the wild in 1980.

Continued:  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/red-wolf-killed.html

Man pleads guilty to shooting a Florida panther

Panther shot with a bow and arrow

May 2012. 45 year old Todd Alan Benfield pled guilty to shooting and killing a Florida Panther, in violation of the US Endangered Species Act. Benfield faces a maximum penalty of one year in federal prison, a fine of up to $100,000, and forfeiture of weapons and other equipment used to kill the animal. 

Benfield was bow hunting in Collier County, using a tree stand to hunt for deer. From his tree stand, Benfield knowingly shot and killed a Florida Panther. The following day, Benfield and an associate moved the panther into the Woodland Grade area, in an attempt to conceal the animal. Benfield then removed his tree stand from the area in an effort to conceal the fact that he had killed the panther. A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer located the dead panther in a section of thick vegetation, in the Woodland Grade area. The officer determined that the dead panther had been dragged approximately 50 yards. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory conducted a genetics analysis of a tissue sample taken from the carcass and determined that it was a Florida Panther.

The Florida panther is the last subspecies of Puma still surviving in the eastern United States. Historically occurring throughout the south-eastern United States, the estimated 100 to 160 panthers are found in south Florida, in less than five percent of their historic range.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/panther-bow.html#cr

Alleged masterminds of orangutan killings arrested

EAST Kalimantan Police have arrested and named two people suspects, PCH, a Malaysian, and his Indonesian cohort, W, in connection with the recent death of several orangutans in plantation areas in Kalimantan, The Jakarta Post reported yesterday.

According to earlier reports, PCH acted as the mastermind for the killing. He hired two locals to carry out the killings, East Kalimantan Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Wisnu Sutirta said Thursday as quoted by tempo.co.

Wisnu said that PCH, a manager of PT Khaleda Agroprima Malindo, believed the orangutans were a pest that could ruin his company's assets in the local forests, and had thus made efforts to exterminate them.

Wisnu said police were seeking information on where the money came from to pay for the orangutan killings.

Meanwhile, Antara news agency reported yesterday that the two were suspected of involvement in the orangutan (pongo pygmaeus morio) killings at Puan Cepak village, Muara Kaman sub-district, Kutai Kartanegara (Kukar) District, East Kalimantan province.

"Based on the investigations by the Kukar and East Kalimantan Police offices, we name and detain W bin W, 29, and PCH, 46, a senior manager," Inspector General Saud Usman Nasution, spokesman for the Indonesian National Police, said as quoted by Antara as saying.

Antara said that W was suspected to be the person who had recruited the main suspect, caught and shot orangutans.

He had also allegedly provided the facilities.

PCH was the person who had suggested and instructed the establishment of a team to hunt pests (including orangutans and monkeys) in the plantation area of PT Khaleda Agroprima Malindo, a Malaysian oil palm plantation company operating in Kalimantan.

"We are still waiting for further investigations to look for other possible suspects. For sure, whoever was involved in this case will be thoroughly investigated, without any discrimination, including the company's employees or others," Saud said.

The police have so far grilled 25 witnesses in the orangutan and monkey killing case.

Police had earlier named two suspects - M alias G and M - in the case.

The two suspects are pest eradication workers of PT KAM.

They said they killed the animals based on instructions from PCH and A, another PT KAM manager, two years ago. They were paid 200,000 rupiah (S$30) per one monkey and 1 million rupiah per orangutan.

If found guilty, they are liable to a five-year jail sentence each and a fine of 100 million rupiah in accordance with Law No 5/1990 on Natural Resource Biodiversity and Ecosystem Conservation.

http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Asia/Story/A1Story20111126-312817.html