Natural History Wanderings

The Independent reports

A licence to kill buzzards – a protected species that was hunted to extinction in many parts of Britain in the 19th century — has been issued by Natural England to “prevent serious damage” to young pheasants bred for sport shooting.

The decision was condemned by environmental groups, with one ecologist expressing the fear that the decision could be the first of many undermining wildlife protections following the vote to leave the European Union.

Campaigners had already predicted a “bonfire” of environmental regulations in the wakes of the Brexit referendum result in June. The European Union is widely recognised as having some of the strongest environmental laws in the world.

Read full story at Buzzard shooting licence issued to landowner, sparking fears hen harriers and peregrine falcons will be next | Environment | The Independent