In Youghal District Court (Co. Cork) on 7th June last three individuals were convicted of illegally killing an otter at Ballynatray Estate in Co. Waterford in September 2017 contrary to the Wildlife Acts. This estate runs 'holiday shoots' where guests pay up to €1,000 a day to shoot game birds. It is understood the culprits were game keepers of the estate. One defendant was fined €500 with six months to pay. The second defendant was fined €300 with four months to pay for aiding and abetting while the third defendant was directed by the Judge to pay €250 to the Irish Wildlife Trust by 6 September 2019.
In July 2018 one of the defendants gave an interview to the Irish Mail on Sunday confessing to the crime.The IWT understands that the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is also investigating 'an alleged incident' with red kites - a bird of prey reintroduced to Ireland. According to the Mail on Sunday article in 2018 two red kites had 'vanished' from the estate. The original Garda/NPWS probe also included an investigation into the shooting of a number of buzzards, see:https://extra.ie/2017/11/19/news/irish-news/garda-probe-launched-after-buzzard-and-otter-shot)
The IWT welcomes the conviction, even if belated, and wants to thank the NPWS staff on the ground who dealt with the case. We are making enquiries as to whether the Ballynatray Estate has been allowed to hold on to its licence, issued by the NPWS, to shoot pen-reared birds. A part of the estate lies within a Special Area of Conservation and the IWT is concerned that the small fines in this case will not deter illegal persecution of wildlife.
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