The NI Raptor Study Group and the PSNI Wildlife and Animal Unit Receive Major Award
At the 36th conference of the Annual Wildlife Crime Enforcers Conference, Dr Eimear Rooney of the Northern Ireland Raptor Study Group and PSNI Wildlife and Animal Unit Welfare Officer Emme Meredith were presented with a prestigious award
Emma and Eimear were part of a collaborative UK multi-agency team who picked up the WWF Award for Wildlife Crime Operation of the Year 2025 for their contributions to Operation GLASSBEAK.
Led by the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU), and supported in Northern Ireland by key conservation partners and police services, including PSNI, Northern Ireland Raptor Study Group and Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Operation GLASSBEAK was a targeted initiative to protect birds of prey, namely Peregrine Falcons during the 2025 breeding season
In Northern Ireland Peregrine Falcons are a protected species under the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 as amended by the Wildlife and Natural Environment (NI) Act 2011, which safeguards all birds of prey from persecution and disturbance, however the birds are still often targeted.
Criminals target Peregrines for several reasons in the UK, illegally removing eggs or chicks to supply the lucrative international falconry trade, carrying out deliberate nest destruction and persecution, as well as illegal killing by shooting, trapping and poisoning.
The toxicity of the substances used puts humans, livestock, pets as well as wildlife at risk. Such crimes not only harm individual birds but also threaten the recovery and stability of our local populations.
Operation Glassbeak identified twelve of the most vulnerable Peregrine nest sites across the UK including sites in Northern Ireland.
By deploying a range of different tactics, was successful in enabling peregrine chicks to fledge in areas where they had previously failed.
In Northern Ireland, key sites were patrolled, under a licence from NI Environment Agency, using innovations such as deploying PSNI Air Support Unit drones to survey breeding areas that may have otherwise been inaccessible. This lead to one of the most successful breeding seasons in many years.
Speaking about the success of the operation, Emma said: “It was an honour for PSNI to be part of this UK initiative and be recognised for our efforts to protect our Peregrine Falcon population.
“It is lovely to think we may have had a real and meaningful impact in ensuring these birds continue to breed and thrive in Northern Ireland.
“The use of advanced, state-of-the-art drone technology, enabled us to ensure that these birds and their habitats are monitored and protected all year round.
“B”y working with our partners in Northern Ireland and throughout the UK, we collectively protected numerous nests and allowed us to safeguard even more vulnerable birds.”
In County Down, there have been issues with red kites which have successfully bred but they are scavengers and have become victim to poisonings.
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