AN appeal for information has been launched after a bird of prey was discovered shot near Chepstow.

On Thursday April 21st the RSPCA were called to an incident involving a domestic cat and a Goshawk in Brockweir, near Chepstow. The bird was taken to the Vale Wildlife Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre (Beckford) where an x-ray was taken for a fractured wing. The results of the x-ray found that the bird had in fact been shot and was later euthanised due to the extent of its injuries.

In the 19th century Goshawks became extinct in Britain through persecution. However, in the 1960’s a population was re-established and numbers have slowly risen. Gloucestershire, and in particular the Forest of Dean, has been a stronghold for this recovery and numbers are somewhere in the region of 300 breeding pairs across the UK. Due to their status, Goshawks are specially protected by law through Schedule One of the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

The Gloucestershire Raptor Monitoring Group, together with the Vale Wildlife Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre, the RSPB Investigations Team and Gloucestershire Police, would like anyone with information on this incident or any other persecution of raptors that they know of to contact Gloucestershire Police via 101, quoting incident 184 of Monday 25th April, or the RSPB Investigations team on 01767 680551.