EWJ June 2024 web - Journal - Page 94
Chief Inspector Kevin Kelly, head of the UK National
Wildlife Crime Unit said: “This is part of the largest
wildlife crime investigation in UK history, showing the
illegal wildlife trade is a thriving business for criminals.
“The UK is home to some of the rarest birds of prey
in the world, some of these are being taken and laundered in the legal falconry trade bringing lucrative returns for criminals and having a direct impact on the
current nature crisis. The NWCU is committed to
tackling this.”
Dr Lucy Webster from (SASA), part of the Scottish
Government, led on the forensic work.
She said: “This is the first case to use our new forensic
DNA method to test whether documented breeding
records for Peregrine Falcons are true or false. However, we went beyond establishing false breeding
records here, and also identified family links to several wild Peregrine nests. This powerful method will
continue to support investigations and combat the illegal trade of wild Peregrines in the UK and beyond.”
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EXPERT WITNESS JOURNAL
92
JUNE 2024