Forensic Findings Reveal Intentional Severing of Bird's Harness
A forensic investigation determined that the harness of a rare hen harrier had been "intentionally severed," according to Sgt Peter Evans, a rural crime officer.
Hen Harrier Vanishes in Notorious Welsh Moorland
A rare hen harrier has disappeared after its satellite tag was discovered on a Welsh moorland identified by a conservation charity as one of the UK's "most notorious bird of prey persecution hotspots." The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has referred to Ruabon Moor, near Wrexham, as a "Bermuda Triangle" due to multiple hen harriers going missing, with their monitoring tags found discarded or ceasing to function.
Investigation Details and Location
Sgt Peter Evans of North Wales Police stated that forensic analysis showed the bird's harness in the most recent case had been "intentionally severed." The bird had fledged from a nest on National Trust land in the Peak District after being tagged by the RSPB and was later recorded on the protected Welsh moorland, which is also home to red grouse.
RSPB Comments on the Disappearance
Mark Thomas, head of investigations at the RSPB, reported that the three-month-old hen harrier was present at the site for "just three days... before it vanished in highly suspicious circumstances" last August.
"A healthy young bird fledged from a safe area in the Peak District National Park and, sadly, chose to settle in Wales' 'Bermuda Triangle' - the most notorious bird of prey persecution hotspot in the country.
"We suspect the criminal shot the harrier, cut the harness off the hen harrier's body, discarded the tag and disposed of the body in separate locations to avoid detection.
"This area is a crime hotspot for hen harriers and other birds of prey and this has to stop."
History of Incidents in the Area
The last reported incident occurred in August, but there have been several others over recent years:
- Three tags were recovered from five hen harriers suspected to have suffered persecution between 2018 and 2026.
- Satellite tags on two additional birds "suddenly and suspiciously stopped transmitting without sign of malfunction," according to the RSPB.
- Data from another bird suggested interference with the tag prior to its death.
- Two other birds were found with harness damage "consistent with human involvement."
Police and Legal Perspectives
Sgt Evans, from North Wales Police's rural crime team, indicated that investigations into the most recent incident have been inconclusive.
"The circumstances surrounding the bird's disappearance are being treated as suspicious," he said.
"Hen harriers are a rare and protected species in Wales, making incidents of this nature particularly concerning."
All wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and prosecutions could result in fines or imprisonment.
Conservation Efforts and Industry Response
Julian Hughes, head of species at RSPB Cymru, stated that the organization has submitted a dossier of evidence to the environmental regulator Natural Resources Wales amid calls for regulation of the grouse-shooting industry.
The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), headquartered in Wrexham and advocating for sustainable grouse shooting, has previously declared a "zero-tolerance declaration on the illegal killing of birds of prey."
