Killing the Skydancer: episode three, An Open Secret

Science Weekly

The Guardian

Science

4.2 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 17 August 2023

⏱️ 27 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this special Age of Extinction mini-series from Science Weekly, Guardian biodiversity reporter Phoebe Weston explores the illegal killing of birds of prey on grouse moors, and asks why it is so difficult to solve these crimes. In the third and final episode, Phoebe finds out more about the pressures that drive people to commit raptor persecution, discovers how the police investigation into the case of Susie’s crushed chicks unfolded, and how Susie is doing now. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is the Guardian.
0:05.0	Before we start, if you haven't heard the previous two episodes,
0:11.0	go back and take a listen.
0:13.2	And a warning, this episode includes descriptions of animal cruelty.
0:18.9	On a trip up to North Yorkshire earlier this year, I stopped in a small market town near where
0:25.2	Susie's chicks had been killed. It was there I'd met Alan who you heard in
0:31.1	episode 2. The showedy fertility is not here to kill everything.
0:36.0	Some of these do-runners want to come and actually just stand and keep the bloody mouth shut
0:40.0	and watch what a shout does the other day. Yeah.
0:43.7	It was a beautiful place full of old stone buildings
0:47.9	with lovely cafes and shops,
0:50.4	a couple of classic British pubs all surrounded by scenic moorland.
0:56.0	The moorlands bring in a steady stream of hikers, cyclists and grouse shooters,
1:02.0	so I was curious. did people living here know that birds of prey are being illegally killed?
1:08.0	It does happen and it should be allowed to coexist.
1:12.0	Everyone that I spoke to knew about it.
1:19.0	Do you think there's awareness?
1:21.0	People are aware of it up here. Do you think they care? I think they do. I think the real...
1:27.0	It's very hard when your livelihood is raising birds for people to shoot.
1:33.0	Not everyone felt comfortable with it,
1:35.0	and some really didn't like it.
1:38.0	I mean, I don't support about the killing of these birds in any way.
	...

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