THREE rare peregrine falcon chicks have been found shot dead in the Forest of Bowland.
Campaigners have hit out at the apparent vandal attacks on the birds of prey and said there have also been incidents of eggs being stolen and nests destroyed.
Currently the Forest of Bowland is home to around 25 pairs of peregrines, thanks to conservation and protection work led by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
PC Duncan Thomas, wildlife officer, said: “This is a shocking and disgraceful wildlife crime and the graphic images portray a very sad event.
“These birds have been targeted specifically and are suspected to have been shot. Although now a common species in Lancashire the peregrine has fought back from near extinction due to pesticides.
“We recently had a number of chicks stolen from a site in Wheelton so these two events clearly show that these birds breeding attempts are still at risk.
“Police are aware and are investigating and anyone who may have any information regarding either incident should contact their local police.â€
It is though that the birds were killed late last week but the exact location, as with all breeding sites, is a secret. The incident was reported to police on Friday.
A spokesman for campaign group Raptor Politics, which highlighted the shootings to police, said: “We were shocked and sickened to find the corpses of the three chicks on the nesting ledge after someone had blasted them to death with a rifle.
“Our preliminary examination of each corpse at the scene suggests each chick had been callously shot one after the other where they perched.
“Peregrines are strictly protected in the UK and their illegal destruction is a very serious matter.â€
* Peregrine falcons are the fastest animals on the planet, able to reach speeds of up to 180mph.
Increased usage of pesticides decimated the populations across the country, leading to conservation projects such as the one in the Forest of Bowland.
The birds eat small mammals and insects, as well as small birds, such as quail.
There are around 1,402 pairs of peregrine falcon in the UK.
The peregrine is a protected species and is listed as Schedule 1 under the provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
A licence is required before a person is able to even visit a nest containing eggs or young.
Anyone who kills a peregrine or steals an egg can be fined a total of £5,000 for each bird killed or egg taken; any individual who is convicted can expect to be heavily fined or even sent to prison for up to six months.
What's up with these CREEPS!! 
