North Yorkshire Police are investigating the suspicious death of yet another red kite – the tenth red kite to have been either shot or found dead in suspicious circumstances in North Yorkshire in the last few months.
The latest victim was found at Timble Ings near Harrogate, just a short distance from Blubberhouse Moor where another red kite was found shot and critically injured a few weeks ago (see here).
Although the cause of death of this latest red kite has not yet been established, it’s not difficult to see why North Yorkshire Police are treating it as suspicious at this stage. The eastern side of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the adjoining Nidderdale AONB are notorious black spots for illegal raptor persecution, particularly for hen harriers (see here) and red kites (see here). The area is dominated by driven grouse moors.
Article on the latest dead red kite can be read in the Harrogate Advertiser here
UPDATE 5.30pm: North Yorkshire Police have now confirmed this red kite had been shot. Well done to them for putting out a quick statement and appeal for information (here).
E-petition to ban driven grouse shooting can be signed here
Raptor Persecution UK 
Crime seems to be rampant in Yorkshire.
Seems everything really is bigger in Yorkshire.
Surprised? You get a caution for being naughty
I’m sure that the CA, Moorland Association et al will react to this, if at all, by continuing to peddle the line that it’s a “few rotten apples” or, worse, denying any link with the game shooting industry at all. Every time they do so they now merely convince people outside their narrow circle that they have neither credibility nor integrity and that their “condemnation” of persecution is not in the slightest degree genuine. The longer they deny the obvious the more they become culpable and unfit to be regarded as reputable or honest ‘stakeholders’ in matters touching upon the running of national parks, members of various fora, recipients of government aid, etc., etc.
It is apparent that the majority of Gamekeepers are lawbreakers. The eastern side of Yorkshire Dales NP are as dangerous and bad for wildlife as the eastern side of Cairngorms NP and countless other places are. Driven Grouse Shooting must be banned if we ever want our wildlife to flourish.
Perhaps the national parks there should follow the example of the dales national park..and cancel the lease of the rogue shooters!
The recording area for our little bird club is based in Nidderdale and is surrounded by grouse moors many of us feel bloody helpless in situations like this.By the time any regulations are in place there will be no raptors left in Nidderdale
Pete – there’s a big difference between a National Park and the National Trust. It was the NT who cut short the lease in the Peak District.
Anyone know about the 9th bird.
Here is my list of the first 8:
March 2016 Low Marishes, Malton
https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2016/04/19/shot-red-kite-successfully-rehabilitated-and-released/
https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2016/03/30/more-raptor-persecution-in-north-yorkshire/
23rd April 2016 on farmland near Nidd
https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2016/04/28/another-red-kite-shot-in-north-yorkshire/
21st April 2016, a new red kite nest was discovered in woodland near Alwoodley Lane in the Eccup area of Leeds
https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2016/05/05/red-kite-shot-killed-on-nest-in-west-yorkshire/
Sunday 22 May, Hall Lane, Blubberhouses
https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2016/05/23/red-kite-shot-critically-injured-next-to-grouse-moor-in-north-yorkshire/
The bodies of the three suspected poisoned birds, two of whom were found at Pateley Bridge and the other at Arthington, are being examined by the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme to determine the type and quantity of poison used.
and
Outside North Yorkshire, … a bird found in Bramhope whose injuries were consistent with a puncture wound across its chest due to being shot with a rifle.
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/crime/beyond-belief-seventh-red-kite-killed-in-yorkshire-in-just-two-months-1-7926447#ixzz4AQLSxB2I
The estate owners ( land mafia ) employ a criminal wing ( gamekeepers ) this is beyond question. Farmers and estates now receive between 2 – 3 BILLION £ per year, and far from being grateful to us, the tax payer, seem to believe it is their ‘entitlement’ to slaughter whatever they choose.
When Mark Avery’s petition to ban driven grouse shooting reaches 100,000, and is allowed a debate in Parliament, the conservative government should recluse themselves, if they own grouse shooting, or are related to, or have any interest in !
Just a wee reminder of the massacre on the black isle, still ‘unsolved’
Thank you so much for that video reminder AF. Yet another crime where the criminals got away with it.
After the awful poletrap decision the keepers in Yorkshire not only think they are untouchable, they now know it….these people all want to kill raptors they just need to know they can get away with it.
And Bradford Council still allow grouse shooting on publicly owned land on Ilkley Moor. Which was bought in the 19th century from a grouse shooting landowner by local people in Ilkley to stop shooting and allow everyone access.
Then, due to local government re-organisation, ownership of the moor was handed over to Bradford Council and then……….they lease it to a shoot ……run by Edward Bromet (not even a local) ex-chairman of Moorland Association and very well-connected. Then people who use the moor get threatened by the gamekeepers, wildlife is trapped, moorland burned (although this year,after a campaign, the traps have been banned and possibly burning stopped). Who can you trust these days? Do we have to buy the moor back again?
Renfrewshire Council has just decided that a proposed mega grouse moor in the Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park, employing over a dozen apprentice gamekeepers, would be an “inappropriate” activity on publicly-owned land. This followed lobbying and pressure from a relatively small number of concerned local conservationists, with no assistance at all from either RSPB or SNH. Some of the objectors were of the opinion that the long term aims of the shooting syndicate were rather more than just acquiring tenancy over Council-owned land. The clue was in the fact that a “condition of investment” (!) was the legal transfer of agricultural tenancy, and the consequent opportunities that could open up under the Land Reform Act (Scotland) 2016. Had it not been for one councillor paying attention to information provided by one protester, the deal could have slipped through quite easily, as Regional Park management were supportive of the proposal. According to witnesses at internal meetings, RSPB expressed some concern, but SNH were supportive of grouse shooting being regenerated. In the past this area was plagued by persecution of Hen Harriers in particular, but is now a Special Protection Area. It is quite shameful that SNH and the Regional Park management entertained such a proposal at all. What were they thinking?
Seems to be a systematic targeting of these birds in this region by the usual suspects. Its high this crowd were kicked off all state and utility land in this country
Just a reminder: reaching 100,000 signatures does not guarantee a debate in Parliament. It simply means that the petition is considered by a small cross-party group of MPs for possible debate. The vast majority of e-petitions are not debated. When petitions reach 10,000 the government provide a written response, which in this case is as about as much use as a wet tissue.