2025-2028 NPCC Wildlife & Rural Crime Strategy
Yellow-legged Asian Hornet Week 1st - 7th September 2025
Operation EASTER launches for the 28th year
Bat Conservation Trust launch Halloween video to celebrate bats 🦇
Operation Badger re-launch for National Badger Day!
Craig Fellowes awarded MBE for services to wildlife
Operation EASTER ~ 27 years of stopping egg thieves
Man who abseiled down cliff to take peregrine falcon eggs jailed
Newport company fined for the demolition of Bat Roost
Cheshire man sentenced after admitting animal cruelty offences
2,114 seizures of endangered animals and timber in major international law enforcement operation
Natural England prosecutes developer for breaching Bat Mitigation Licence
Vale of Glamorgan man prosecuted for destroying valuable wildlife habitat
Wildlife detectives take part in new Forensics Training programme
PSNI investigate death of two white-tailed eagles
PSNI launch Operation SUBRISION to deter and detect rural and wildlife crime
Lewisham man convicted for illegally exporting ivory
Operation EASTER launched for 2023 - stopping egg thieves and egg collectors
Monmouthshire company fined for damaging an important Great Crested Newt habitat
14 Jan 2022
Posted by NWCU4 
A joint team including officers from Northumbria Police, RSPCA and the NWCU, executed warrants at two properties Officers from the Northumbria Police Rural Crime Team and Alnwick and Hexham NPT alongside partners from the RSPCA and National Wildlife Crime Unit executed warrants at two addresses, one in Hexham and a second in Longframlington. The force […]
Read more → 17 Dec 2021
Posted by NWCU1 
A gamekeeper has been fined after a sparrowhawk starved to death in freezing weather in a trap. An investigation was launched after a member of the public found the raptor alive in a cage on February 10 on land near the village of Bosley, six miles south of Macclesfield, in Cheshire. Cage traps are designed […]
Read more → 25 Nov 2021
Posted by NWCU1 
Reports of wildlife crimes against many species rose between 35-90% in 2020 At the same time convictions on key types of wildlife crime fell by 50%+ Nature experts are calling for improved recording and monitoring, better targeting of resources, and enhanced use of expert police and prosecutors to tackle wildlife crime A new report published […]
Read more → 26 Oct 2021
Posted by NWCU4 
Four men have been charged in connection with wildlife crime offences in Dumfries and Galloway. The suspects, aged 59, 52, 46 and 31, were arrested in the Stewartry area of the region, police confirmed on Thursday. The arrests come amid ongoing investigations into reports of persecution against protected birds of prey and wildlife in Parton, […]
Read more → 22 Sep 2021
Posted by NWCU1 
A fine has been handed out to a man who deliberately destroyed a protected habitat so he could develop his property. The case followed an investigation by Kent Police’s Rural Task Force relating to a property in Headcorn. In December 2019, the offender sought planning permission for a barn conversion. As part of the planning […]
Read more → 07 Sep 2021
Posted by NWCU1 
Operation Wingspan, a year-long campaign to tackle wildlife crime, working with partners, including the Partnership Against Wildlife Crime (PAW) Scotland, has seen considerable success and is now entering its final phase. This involves officers working on the persecution of fresh water pearl mussels and tackling all aspects of poaching, including hare coursing. As with previous […]
Read more → 18 Aug 2021
Posted by NWCU4 
A man from Derby has been sentenced in connection with the illegal trade of ivory from endangered animals. Ngie LAW pleaded guilty to 18 different counts of buying, selling and possessing the ivory goods without a permit, and fraudulently evading duty, between 2011 and 2016. It follows a lengthy investigation, which began in November 2016 […]
Read more → 03 Aug 2021
Posted by NWCU4 
Police have confirmed that a bird of prey found dead in the Queens Island area of Belfast earlier this year was poisoned. It was reported in March that a Peregrine Falcon was found dead. The bird was retrieved and underwent testing to ascertain the exact circumstances. Enquiries have been ongoing. On July 28th 2021, officers, […]
Read more → 12 Jul 2021
Posted by NWCU1 
A man who unknowingly destroyed a bird of prey nest after cutting down trees has completed a successful restorative justice outcome. Officers from Gloucestershire Constabulary’s Rural Crime Team were called to an estate on the outskirts of Gloucester on Saturday 5 June where it was reported that a tree had been felled causing an active […]
Read more → 18 Jun 2021
Posted by NWCU1 
“Observe, Don’t Disturb” is the message amid incidents of water craft, motor vehicles, selfie-takers, dogs and campers disturbing marine mammals and birds. A campaign to stop people behaving irresponsibly near marine animals such as seals, dolphins and nesting birds is being rolled out nationally by the RSPCA, the police and other partner organisations. As the […]
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