POLICE will be calling on people in the Dales this weekend to help in the fight against the illegal persecution of birds of prey.

North Yorkshire - a 'black spot' for the illegal persecution of raptors, such as hen harriers, buzzards and red kites - will be heading up the national Operation Owl awareness campaign.

The campaign, which will be joined by around 25 police forces across the country, aims to raise awareness of bird of prey persecution, how to spot the signs, to record any instances, and to report them to police.

Police officers will be out in force over the weekend with a hub at Grassington National Park Centre tomorrow (Saturday) between 9.30am and 3pm.

They will be handing out leaflets on how to spot signs of bird of prey persecution and will also be out and about across the region to put up posters at as many popular visitor and tourist spots as possible.

Representatives from the RSPB, RSPCA, moorland groups, Nidderdale AONB, and both national parks will be taking part, while across the country police forces will running a variety of local initiatives together with Wildlife Trusts, RSPB reserves, and other organisations.

North Yorkshire Police Sergeant Stuart Grainger, leading on the initiative. said: “It’s really positive to see so many police forces and organisations across the country committing to support Operation Owl both this weekend and moving forward – sending a clear message that bird of prey persecution will not be tolerated.

“Here in North Yorkshire, we are determined to put a stop to this unacceptable crime and to ensure our beautiful county is the haven it should be for so many birds of prey. The public’s support can make a huge difference, keeping their eyes and ears open for signs of persecution which can then be reported to us to investigate.

“We look forward to meeting and engaging with many members of the public this weekend and showing them just how important their role is in helping end bird of prey persecution for good.”

Launched in February 2018, Operation Owl is a joint initiative by North Yorkshire Police, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the Royal Society for the Protection of Animals (RSPCA), together with the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales National Parks.

The initiative set out to raise awareness of raptor persecution, encouraging the public to be vigilant for signs of this criminal activity, and to report suspicious activity to the police.

In June this year, Operation Owl was rolled out nationally and this awareness weekend will be the first event of its kind outside of North Yorkshire.

National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Rural Crime, Chief Constable Darren Martland said:

“Disturbing our natural environment by shooting, trapping and poisoning birds of prey is a criminal offence. I therefore welcome the work of forces across the country via Operation Owl, to increase awareness of birds of prey persecution, and to engage with our rural communities and partners in addressing these crimes.

“Our ask of the public is simple: if you come across a wildlife crime scene, for example seeing a dead bird or objects that may be related to a wildlife crime, accurately record what you find and report it to police. The more information available to law enforcement, the greater chance we have of prosecuting offenders.”

Superintendent Nick Lyall, Chairman of the England and Wales Raptor Persecution Priority Delivery Group (RPPDG) added: “Killing birds of prey is against the law. You can help us root out the culprits by sharing information or reporting crimes. If you notice anything suspicious, like a dead or injured bird of prey, or a trap, call the police on 101. Take pictures on your phone, and remember not to interfere with what could be a crime scene.”

Head of the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit, Chief Inspector Lou Hubble OBE, said: "Tackling raptor persecution is a UK wildlife crime priority. I am deeply frustrated that we continue to see some of our most iconic birds being persecuted including golden eagles, red kites, buzzards and goshawks. It's 2019 and here in the UK hen harriers are close to extinction through continued persecution. We need to make these crimes socially unacceptable in all communities. Please be our eyes and ears on the ground and report anything suspicious to the Police."

For more information about Operation Owl, and what to look out for in identifying bird of prey persecution, visit: operationowl.com