6,000 wild birds’ eggs seized in unprecedented crack-down
In an unprecedented crackdown, police in the UK have seized over 6,000 illegal wild bird eggs, marking the largest confiscation in the nation's history. The operation spanned various locations, including Scotland, South Yorkshire, Essex, Wales, and Gloucester, where eggs were found stashed away in attics, offices, and drawers.
According to The Guardian, this significant operation, known as Operation Pulka, was part of a larger international campaign to fight organized wildlife crime, targeting the illegal collection, possession, and trade of wild bird eggs. The initiative kicked off in June 2023 in Norway and has led to 16 arrests, with a total of more than 56,000 eggs recovered. In Australia, authorities confiscated about 3,500 eggs worth up to A$500,000 (£250,000).
Investigators suspect that these criminal activities are linked to a single international network. The National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) has labelled this operation as the largest wildlife crime bust in the UK, noting both the number of eggs seized and the extensive criminal network involved.
Detective Inspector Mark Harrison from the NWCU shared insights with The Guardian, stating, “These criminals are very well organized and connected. The rarer a species is, the more demand and value it has for them. Some of these eggs are likely to be very rare.”
Wild egg collecting has been illegal in the UK since 1954, yet some individuals have continued this practice secretly. Currently, all wild birds, their nests, and their eggs are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, making these actions a significant offense.
2 January 2025
Share this story
