'Geriatric' bird used in illegal sales
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A PEREGRINE falcon, so old it had lost its mating call, was used to 'launder' illegally raised offspring for sale, a court was told yesterday.
John Edwards, a falconer and former gamekeeper to the Earl of Egremont on his estate at Petworth, West Sussex, sold five young birds for pounds 500 each to set himself up as a full-time falconer.
Magistrates at Chichester were told that Edwards, 27, of Petworth Park, was given seven peregrine falcon eggs, taken from nests in Scotland, which he hatched in an incubator. Roger Furness, for the prosecution, said he then registered the falcons, a protected species, as being bred in captivity.
He applied for identification rings to the Department of the Environment and fitted them to their legs before selling them. 'He also asked for rings for the two adult birds he used to 'launder' the chicks,' Mr Furness said.
When police and officials from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds went to Edwards' home, he made an excuse to go outside. They heard a 'screeching noise' and two adult birds were seen flying from the aviary, the door of which had been opened. The female escaped, but the male was later found. 'He was geriatric and couldn't make the mating call,' Mr Furness said.
Blood samples were taken from the male and the young peregrines claimed to be his chicks, which proved the old male peregrine could not have fathered the young falcons, Mr Furness said.
Edwards admitted five charges of possessing and selling peregrine falcons and was fined pounds 750, with pounds 100 costs.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments