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Direct persecution of protected and strictly protected species of Birds of Prey was always a problem in Hungary. In the first months of the year, this has reached a level never experienced before. During this period, 72 victims of protected and strictly protected species have turned up already. The combined conservation value of them is more than 20 million forints, but the real number is most likely multiple of this.
MME and its partners have been participating in a large programme fighting bird crime. Extensive investigation using new methods has started in these recent cases too. MME and the State for Environmental Affairs of the Ministry of Rural Development have offered 100-100,000 forints to anyone who can provide useful information to take a bird crime case to court.
Press conference about the shocking data of recent bird persecution in the
Budapest Zoo & Botanical Garden.
Representatives of MME, Budapest Zoo, Ministry of Rural Development, Hungarian
National Chamber of Hunters and National Investigation Office
(from left to right) on the event.
65 Imperial Eagles were killed in the past seven years in Hungary. 10 individuals of these were persecuted this year, while the whole EU population barely exceeds 200 breeding pairs. The Common Buzzard, the bird of 2012 was the most numerous among the victims. 300 birds died in the past ten years and 40 of them were killed this year. Besides the two species mentioned before, victims included other species like 8 White-tailed Eagles, 2 Golden Eagles, 4 Marsh Harriers, 1 Cormorant, 2 dogs and even a Great Tit. Poisoned baits can pose a serious threat to humans too.
Journalists watching the carcasses of dozens of White-tailed Eagles, Imperial Eagles,
Golden Eagles and Common Buzzards in the veterinarian’s office in the Budapest Zoo …
... guided by Dr. Endre Sós leading vet of the Budapest Zoo (Photos: Bálint Halpern).