RSPB officers help Bulgarian police in wildlife crime raid on English man's home in Burgas
December 2011. A tip-off to the RSPB has led to an international wildlife crime operation to raid the home of an Englishman in Bulgaria. A collection of eggs has been seized, including the egg of a griffon vulture which is a threatened species in Bulgaria.
Officers from the RSPB - and its Bulgarian partner BSPB - assisted Bulgarian police with the raid, which took place at an address in the coastal city of Burgas. The case - the first of its kind in Bulgaria - has involved information being passed from the RSPB to the Bulgarian authorities via the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU).
Egg collection
Guy Shorrock is an RSPB investigations officer who has been involved with this case. Speaking from Burgas, he said: "We've been investigating this lead with keen interest. We're delighted that this international operation has led to the seizure of wild birds' eggs. In addition to the eggs, officers also seized egg-collecting equipment and climbing gear."
Five clutches of wild birds' eggs from four species were seized by the police, namely griffon vulture; collared pratincole (a scarce southern European wading bird); ortolan bunting and blackcap.
Guy Shorrock added: "It is disturbing that a collection of wild birds' eggs has been seized in Bulgaria which has so many threatened and vulnerable species. We are very concerned that countries like this may be vulnerable to egg collecting as they have no history of investigating these types of offences."
Bulgaria has a number of bird species which are facing global extinction, including: imperial eagle, saker falcon, Egyptian vulture, great bustard, white-headed duck and the Dalmatian pelican.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/bulgaria-bird-eggs.html
Showing posts with label egg collector. Show all posts
Showing posts with label egg collector. Show all posts
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Smuggler of endangered birds' eggs avoids jail
An obsessive smuggler of wild birds' eggs has avoided jail, to the disappointment of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, whose staff helped to track down his hoard.
Andrew Seed's collection, hidden in his home in County Durham, was one of the largest in private hands, and included scores of eggs from endangered species.
Among them were three osprey eggs taken from protected nests in Scotland where the RSPB and other agencies have fought a long battle to keep thieves away.
Seed, 45, also sent emails all over the world offering cash for rare eggs, such as those of the whooping crane, which is down to only 400 known pairs.
He admitted 15 charges at Durham crown court, including illegally importing wild birds' eggs and buying or offering to buy others.
Police who raided his home near Crook found 2,000 eggs kept all over the house, to the irritation of Seed's wife.
"She is eternally grateful that the collection has been taken away," said Nick Cartmell, in mitigation for Seed, who worked as a housing officer for Darlington borough council until his crimes came to light.
"She no longer goes into sock drawers and cupboards wondering what she will find inside."
The court heard that Seed was one of a small, intensely dedicated group of egg collectors, whose knowledge and love of the subject blinded them to the danger to rare species.
Cartmell said that while Seed's wife was relieved, he himself felt the confiscation "as a bereavement."
He had inherited the fascination from his father and grandfather, who collected before wildlife protection laws outlawed the practice.
Cartmell said: "At one time Scouting proficiency badges were handed out to young boys who collected birds' eggs.
"It became an obsession. His collection was one of the greatest in this country, with eggs going back to 50 years before he was born. The practice only became illegal in 1975."
Seed was caught after his employers found more than 5,000 emails on his work computer, bartering with suppliers of illegal eggs.
Although he never sold any from the collection, he made references to prize items being worth up to £10,000.
Stephen Orange, prosecuting, said that victims of the trade included rare parrots, falcons and vultures.
Seed was sentenced to nine months' jail suspended for two years and ordered to pay £3,600 costs.
His collection has been confiscated. Judge Peter Armstrong told him that he had encouraged the illegal trade by "marketing yourself as willing to import eggs from protected species".
Guy Shorrocks, investigating officer for the RSPB, said after the hearing: "Mr Seed was part of an international birds' eggs smuggling ring. We are satisfied with the outcome of the case but rather disappointed that he avoided custody."
Martin Wainwright
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/may/07/birds-eggs-smuggler-avoids-jail
Andrew Seed's collection, hidden in his home in County Durham, was one of the largest in private hands, and included scores of eggs from endangered species.
Among them were three osprey eggs taken from protected nests in Scotland where the RSPB and other agencies have fought a long battle to keep thieves away.
Seed, 45, also sent emails all over the world offering cash for rare eggs, such as those of the whooping crane, which is down to only 400 known pairs.
He admitted 15 charges at Durham crown court, including illegally importing wild birds' eggs and buying or offering to buy others.
Police who raided his home near Crook found 2,000 eggs kept all over the house, to the irritation of Seed's wife.
"She is eternally grateful that the collection has been taken away," said Nick Cartmell, in mitigation for Seed, who worked as a housing officer for Darlington borough council until his crimes came to light.
"She no longer goes into sock drawers and cupboards wondering what she will find inside."
The court heard that Seed was one of a small, intensely dedicated group of egg collectors, whose knowledge and love of the subject blinded them to the danger to rare species.
Cartmell said that while Seed's wife was relieved, he himself felt the confiscation "as a bereavement."
He had inherited the fascination from his father and grandfather, who collected before wildlife protection laws outlawed the practice.
Cartmell said: "At one time Scouting proficiency badges were handed out to young boys who collected birds' eggs.
"It became an obsession. His collection was one of the greatest in this country, with eggs going back to 50 years before he was born. The practice only became illegal in 1975."
Seed was caught after his employers found more than 5,000 emails on his work computer, bartering with suppliers of illegal eggs.
Although he never sold any from the collection, he made references to prize items being worth up to £10,000.
Stephen Orange, prosecuting, said that victims of the trade included rare parrots, falcons and vultures.
Seed was sentenced to nine months' jail suspended for two years and ordered to pay £3,600 costs.
His collection has been confiscated. Judge Peter Armstrong told him that he had encouraged the illegal trade by "marketing yourself as willing to import eggs from protected species".
Guy Shorrocks, investigating officer for the RSPB, said after the hearing: "Mr Seed was part of an international birds' eggs smuggling ring. We are satisfied with the outcome of the case but rather disappointed that he avoided custody."
Martin Wainwright
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/may/07/birds-eggs-smuggler-avoids-jail
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