The Yorkshire Dales National Park, an area dominated by driven grouse moors near Birkdale, currently has the highest density of proven and suspected persecution in the UK. In May 2022, the body of a male satellite-tagged hen harrier, called Free, was recovered by Natural England staff. Also in 2022, a hen harrier nest near Whernside which was being monitored by Natural England was attacked. Some local land managers are doing great work to conserve birds of prey in the national park. We are currently preparing a new evidence report on bird of prey populations in the national park on behalf of the Yorkshire Dales Bird of Prey Partnership.

Source: The Times November 28, 2023 13:10 UTC