Wildlife crime
Sussex Police currently has a number of Wildlife Crime Officers (WCOs) working across Sussex, all of whom perform the role alongside their day-today policing duties.
Wildlife crime includes the persecution of protected native species of flora and fauna, the illegal snaring, trapping or killing of protected mammals, damage to the geophysical features of protected land, and the international trade in endangered species.
We rely on the assistance of the public to enable us to detect offences and prosecute offenders. Report things that make you suspicious.
The Wildlife Crime team would love to hear from anyone who has any information about wildlife criminality in the area. Please contact them on 101 or email wcu@sussex.pnn.police.uk.
If a crime is currently taking place always dial 999.
Sussex Police WCOS are working in partnership with Sussex Peregrine Study to launch Operation Eyrie - an initiative to protect our wild birds of prey and bring offenders to justice.
Birds of prey are important indicators of the state of our natural world, and of our attitude towards the natural world. They are at the top of the food chain, and can only thrive if all the links beneath them are similarly thriving - including passerines, plants, watercourses, insects and soils.
The UK has already lost many of its indigenous predators - including the wolf, bear and lynx. Many birds of prey have, to this day, also been pushed to the very brink of breeding extinction.
Most birds of prey (and barn owls) are afforded the highest level of protection under Section 1 and Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and countryside Act 1981. So serious are these crimes against nature that they can, and sometimes do attract prison sentences (see R v Pearson [2008] as an example). Sussex is not known as one of the prime areas for raptor persecution, but this may be changing.
If you see any suspicious activity around a bird of prey roost or nest site, or have any information in confidence about any wildlife crime, please contact us.