Hen Harrier 'Red' Vanishes Near Hamsterley Forest

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Satellite-tagged hen harrier Red mysteriously vanished from Scottish nature reserve, raising alarms about illegal wildlife interference.

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Red's tracking device stopped transmitting on January 15 while roosting near Hamsterley Forest, despite being designed to work even after death.

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RSPB Senior Officer Will Hayward suggests human interference caused Red's disappearance, as natural deaths leave traceable signals.

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Two other hen harriers from Tarras Valley disappeared under similar circumstances on English grouse moors between 2021 and 2022.

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RSPB research documents 400 cases of illegal raptor persecution across Scotland during the past 15 years.

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Local communities actively monitor and protect hen harrier chicks at Tarras Valley Nature Reserve through dedicated volunteer efforts.

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Hen harriers perform unique "skydancing" courtship displays above upland moors, yet face persistent threats despite legal protection.

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Scottish Land & Estates reports counter RSPB claims, citing government data showing bird crimes at record lows.

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RSPB pushes Westminster to match Scotland's gamebird shooting regulations with stricter licensing and penalties.

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[{"selector":"#anim-a78ddfa2-d2fe-426a-b815-85fae073acc0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-76ac0553-7d33-47c3-9f2f-5eece0faeb85","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6885afab-8f98-4f4b-a390-282b26d55529","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.50152%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-98ee92a4-15a7-48c3-b50b-a62c56e263ae","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3a5385ed-134a-4acf-88d4-e38d709ea30d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.23810%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Hurricanes Push Schaus' Swallowtail Butterfly Past 10,000 Learn more