British authorities let Prince Harry off the hook about hen harrier killing

In this video from England, ‘A female hen harrier (marsh hawk) systematically searches the area near a river in Warwickshire on a mid-winter day’.

From the BBC:

No charges against Prince Harry

Two hen harriers are alleged to have been shot at Sandringham

Prince Harry will not face charges in connection with the alleged shooting of two protected hen harriers on the royal family’s estate in Norfolk.

Witnesses say the birds were shot dead on the edge of the Sandringham estate.

Police officers identified three suspects – Prince Harry, William van Cutsem and David Clarke, a gamekeeper.

All three have denied any involvement and the Crown Prosecution Service says there is not enough evidence to bring the case to court.

Well, it being, of course, the Crown Prosecution Service, historically prosecuting opponents of the Crown …

Hen harriers are extremely rare with 749 nesting pairs in the UK.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds say they are disappointed with the outcome and described the shooting of hen harriers as an extremely serious crime.

They said a warden monitoring the harriers saw the birds being hit and heard a shot but did not see the shooter.

In this case, the Society for the Protection of Birds being Royal does not seem to have an effect, similar to the Crown Prosecution Service’s case.

Also on this: here. And here.

Three gamekeepers admit trying to trap birds of prey: here.

24 Hour Protection for Hen Harriers in 2008: here.

Hen harrier nest videos: here.

Grouse and Hen harriers living in harmony on Langholm Moor: here.

April 2011: The RSPB has just won a £300,000 grant to help secure the future of the hen harrier as a breeding bird in England: here.

Why do hen harriers find Ireland so hard to live in? Here.

Hen harrier nest in Belgium: here.

Victor Hugo, Verdi, and monarchy: here.

Related articles

• United Kingdom: Fury at minister’s ‘astounding’ refusal to ban deadly bird poison (independent.co.uk)
• Five bird species flying to extinction due to £40m farming cuts (belfasttelegraph.co.uk)
• Prince Harry in Vegas: Hen party security MGM grand naked photographs the sun (thesun.co.uk)
• Tests reveal that rare bird of prey was shot illegally (independent.co.uk)
• Bird crime in Scotland, new report (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• Rare bird of prey shot and killed (bbc.co.uk)
• Police appeal for information after protected hen harrier is shot dead (scotsman.com)
• WILDLIFE UPDATE : Fury at minister Richard Benyon’s ‘astounding’ refusal to ban deadly bird poison (environmentaleducationuk.wordpress.com)
• Scottish News: 20 birds of prey poisoned: Report (acadvertiser.co.uk)
• Rare Bird Of Prey Killed In UK (naturalhistorywanderings.com)