A young Peregrine Falcon has been shot down in Co. Wexford.
The bird - which was on one of its first flights - was shot with a shotgun at Ballynastraw near Enniscorthy - and had to be put down because of its injuries.
The Irish Parks and Wildlife Service is appealing for the public's help as the bird is a protected species, and shooting them is a criminal offence.
Speaking today Dominic Berridge of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, based on the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve, said: ‘There seems to have been an increase in the deliberate killing of peregrines in recent years with several unexplained nest failures in the south-east. The finding of this bird is not an isolated incident. There have been attempts to poison and shoot birds at a number of nests and if people see anything suspicious like a tethered pigeons or a trap, NPWS staff should be called’.
The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys TD, added: ‘It is intolerable for birds of prey and other wildlife to be persecuted, poisoned or shot. Not only is this activity illegal and barbaric, it also harms our reputation as a country that values its wildlife. I would urge anyone to report such incidents to the National Parks and Wildlife Service in my Department’.
X-ray image shows lead shot pellets in the youngbird's wing and leg.
The Parks and Wildlife Service is appealing for the public's help as the bird is a protected species, and shooting them is a criminal offence.
Des Crofton is director of the National Association of Regional Game Councils.
He says the argument that the shooter could have mistaken the falcon for another species doesn't stack up;
