Yorkshire Dales: Police investigate hen harrier deaths
Date of alert:
Wednesday, 8 February 2023
Crime Ref:
Force:
North Yorkshire Police
Police have launched an investigation after vandals killed four chicks from a rare bird of prey in North Yorkshire.
North Yorkshire Police suspect that a nest of Hen Harrier chicks, found dead earlier this year, was deliberately destroyed by human activity, and are calling for anyone with information to come forward.
The Hen Harrier nest, near Whernside in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, was being monitored by Natural England fieldworkers as part of their routine Hen Harrier monitoring.
The nest was progressing well, and by 10 May 2022 there were four chicks, aged approximately 8 to 12 days old. The parent female was satellite-tagged "Susie", who was tagged in Cumbria in 2020.
Natural England staff became concerned on 20 June when "Susie" was unexpectedly and abruptly shown tracking approximately 35km away from her nest. An adult female should be attentive and close to her nest during this period. Her sudden exit from the nest area was worrying.
