Scotland Father and Son Convicted for Illegal Falcon Egg Extraction
In Scotland, a father and son were convicted for the illegal extraction of eggs of wild falcons, mainly Sapsanov, with the intention of selling the chicks to the Middle East. The conviction was based on DNA testing, which proved the fact of abduction of eggs. The case came to light when local environmental defenders noticed a decline in the number of chicks produced by Sapsan nests in the Bervikshire area in April 2021. It was later discovered that the nests were destroyed and their eggs stolen.
The theft of the eggs led to the discovery of seven Sapsan chicks and other predatory birds in the house of a local resident named Timothy Hall. DNA tests confirmed that the birds were taken from the wild and not bred in captivity, as Hall had initially claimed. The father and son duo, Timothy and Lewis Hall, had been involved in the illegal trade of Sapsan chicks for a significant period of time. Between 2019 and 2020 alone, they managed to make approximately £41,000 ($52,000 or 4.7 million rubles) from this illegal activity.
Falcons are highly prized in the Middle East, where falcon races are a popular sport. Wild birds are considered superior in terms of speed and strength compared to those bred in captivity, thus driving the demand for them. Timothy Hall confessed to obtaining, possessing, and selling 15 wild Sapsan chicks, as well as violating firearms storage laws. Lewis Hall admitted to obtaining, possessing, and selling an additional 13 chicks, while keeping 7 more for himself.
Further evidence from Lewis’s