Wildlife crime unit being examined as record number of protected birds of prey killed last year

23 buzzards found poisoned in one incident in West Cork but prosecutions remain low due to lack of evidence

An NPWS scheme detailing cases that have led to the death or injury of birds of prey in Ireland annually, recorded a total of 39 confirmed incidents in 2019. File Picture: Valerie O'Sullivan

The setting up and resourcing of a wildlife crime unit within the National Parks and Wildlife Service is being examined by the Department of Housing, Heritage, and Local Government.

Minister of State Malcolm Noonan has confirmed the move to build on what he described as the already good relationship the NPWS has with the gardaí.

“Wildlife crime at a time of a biodiversity crisis is unacceptable and I would urge the public to report suspected incidents to relevant authorities,” he said.

While accepting the NPWS is under-resourced, the minister said he had seen some amazing work being done by its staff and conservation rangers countrywide during his short time in office.

Other recent ministerial replies to Dáil questions revealed that an internal wildlife crime group made up of senior departmental officials and regional field staff also meets regularly as part of the efforts to tackle the issue.

Wildlife crimes include the persecution of badgers, illegal hunting of deer, and the unlawful hunting of hares with packs of dogs generally known as lurchers to the trapping of wild birds such as native finches for illegal trade.

Wilfully disturbing or destroying the eggs or nests of wild birds, the poisoning of raptor species, and the illegal cutting of hedges during the bird nesting season are also categorised as offences under legislation.

Raptor, an NPWS scheme detailing cases that have led to the death or injury of birds of prey in Ireland annually, recorded a total of 39 confirmed incidents in 2019, with 36 individual birds having died, the highest number since the protocol began in 2011.

The cases were comprised of 22 raptor poisoning incidents (involving 23 birds), three poisoned bait incidents, four road casualties, three incidents where birds of prey were shot, two deaths due to wind turbine strikes, two deaths caused by trauma and one death caused by entanglement in netting.

Jim O’Callaghan, Fianna Fáil (Dublin Bay South), sought an explanation, however, from Housing, Planning, and Local Government Minister Darragh O’Brien in the Dáil earlier this month for “the historically low level of prosecutions for wildlife crime”. 

Mr O’Brien said some 164 prosecutions were taken by his department for breaches of the Wildlife Acts In the period from 2012 to date in 2020. Gardaí are also authorised to investigate and prosecute wildlife crimes.

“While bringing perpetrators of crime to justice is important, the success of dealing with wildlife crime cannot be judged on this alone, as ensuring compliance in the first instance is clearly of critical importance,” he said.

Cork South West Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns told the Dáil in July how she gets reports of wildlife crimes and habitat destruction on a regular basis.

Recent successful prosecutions range from five in 2014 to 21 last year.

"Clearly, these rates are not a deterrent to people who illegally hunt, poison raptors and damage habitats. Why are there not more prosecutions?” Ms Cairns asked Tánaiste Leo Varadkar who replied that prosecutions can be difficult to take in this area because evidence is needed for them to be effective. This usually involves either a witness or a video. 

Calls for the setting up of a wildlife crime unit increased after 23 buzzards were found poisoned between Bandon and Timoleague in West Cork last December. It was the single largest poisoning of birds of prey in Ireland for decades.

The poisoning of 23 buzzards in West Cork last year was the single largest incident in Ireland in decades.

Buzzards were driven to extinction in Ireland over a hundred years ago but have naturally re-colonised here. They are fully protected under the European Union Birds Directive and the Wildlife Act 1976. Killing or injuring one is a criminal offence.

The incident in West Cork was described as shocking at the time by the then Culture, Heritage, and Gaeltacht Minister Josepha Madigan.

While the investigation was continuing, she said, it was the view of the NPWS that the incident was not related to any agricultural practices in the area, nor with the landowner but rather a case of deliberate poisoning of wildlife.

Testing of the carcasses was carried out by the Regional Veterinary Laboratory in Cork and this confirmed that the cause of death was the banned insecticide carbofuran, which also caused the death of female satellite-tagged hen harrier in Meath last November.

Carbofuran, an extremely toxic and dangerous to human beings and much wildlife, is no longer legally available in the EU but it is known to be illegally procured and used by a minority of people who persecute wildlife, particularly birds of prey.

Cork South West Fianna Fáil TD Christopher O’Sullivan told the Dáil he was appalled and devastated to see the massacre of 23 common buzzards in his constituency.

These are a majestic species that had just begun to re-establish themselves in my county. 

"They had become a firm favourite with members of the public and with farmers who enjoyed them soaring in the skies above their land,” he said.

John Lusby, Raptor Conservation Officer with BirdWatch Ireland, claimed he illegal poisoning of birds of prey is not isolated to Ireland and can be difficult to investigate. 

"If we are to take wildlife crimes such as this seriously, we need a dedicated wildlife crime unit and there needs to be proper resources allocated for the effective investigation and enforcement of the Wildlife Act,” he said.

Mr Lusby said the targeted use of bait laced with poison to kill protected birds of prey remains widespread. One of the most common substances used is carbofuran, despite it being banned.

Minister Darragh O’Brien was recently asked by Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow) for a status report on the West Cork poisonings.

NPWS officials were actively continuing with their “criminal investigations into this concerning and very serious incident,” he said, adding there were no further updates since the matter was previously raised in the House.