(c) Paul N Davis
Born Free Calls On UK Government To Ensure Wildlife Crimes Are Properly Recorded
6 years ago 
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New report finds most UK wildlife crimes are recorded as ‘miscellaneous’ offences
International wildlife charity, Born Free, is calling on the Home Office to ensure all wildlife crimes in England and Wales are properly recorded following the publication of a new report The Recording of Wildlife Crime in England and Wales.
The report, by Wildlife and Countryside Link and Wales Environment Link – major coalitions of wildlife and environment NGOs, including Born Free – found that accurate data on wildlife crimes is not being collated by the Home Office, hampering the ability to identify priorities and allocate resources appropriately.
Data collected from wildlife NGOs suggests that more than 4,000 wildlife offences took place between 2010 and 2015. However, this figure vastly underestimates the scale of the problem because data on many types of offences is not collected by NGOs, and the methods they use to collect data vary significantly.
Born Free Foundation Associate Director and veterinarian, Mark Jones, said: “The UK has a well-earned reputation for championing action on wildlife crime internationally and will host the 2018 international conference on illegal wildlife trade. If we are to retain this reputation, we must apply the same commitment to combating wildlife crime here at home. While the level of crime isn’t being properly assessed, effective prioritisation of enforcement efforts and associated resources are being severely hampered.”
Born Free is joining Wildlife and Countryside Link and Wales Environment Link in urging the Home Office to make all wildlife crimes recordable in England and Wales, with specific crime police recording codes; and to produce a comprehensive annual wildlife crime report detailing trends, identifying priorities, and directing funding and resources accordingly.
Born Free works in the UK to protect the nation’s rich diversity of wildlife and habitats. It supports rescue and rehabilitation activities and campaigns for greater protection for iconic British wildlife such as badgers, hares and foxes. For more information about Born Free’s work in the UK, and to make a donation, see http://www.bornfree.org.uk/campaigns/uk-wildlife/.
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