0:00:02 > 0:00:04'Welsh wildlife is under attack...'
0:00:04 > 0:00:06Oh!
0:00:06 > 0:00:08'..and I'm on the frontline trying to protect it.'
0:00:08 > 0:00:10Oh, wow.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13'Our 5,000 native species of birds, mammals, and reptiles...'
0:00:15 > 0:00:16This is fresh.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20'..are threatened daily by illegal activity...'
0:00:20 > 0:00:22Black swan.
0:00:22 > 0:00:23'..vandals...'
0:00:23 > 0:00:27That was a slow worm, cooked right through.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29'..and alien invaders.'
0:00:29 > 0:00:31It's not happy, that is not happy.
0:00:31 > 0:00:35'I'm Dr Rhys Jones,
0:00:35 > 0:00:39'and from my laboratory at Cardiff University, I work
0:00:39 > 0:00:41'to save our animals from humans...
0:00:42 > 0:00:44'..and humans from animals.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53'And in this episode...a mystery bird opens a wildlife crime
0:00:53 > 0:00:54'can of worms...
0:00:57 > 0:01:00'Who's the lodger lurking in a Gwent garden shed?'
0:01:00 > 0:01:02Another snake skin.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04'And when an egg thief hits town,
0:01:04 > 0:01:07'we seize our window of opportunity to try and nab him.'
0:01:07 > 0:01:09Hello!
0:01:17 > 0:01:20Since the dark days of the '60s and '70s, when pesticides,
0:01:20 > 0:01:24pollution and invasive vermin caused populations to plummet,
0:01:24 > 0:01:27Welsh bird numbers have been struggling to recover.
0:01:27 > 0:01:32And the latest statistics suggest it's still mixed news.
0:01:32 > 0:01:37There's good news for our sea birds, whose numbers remain buoyant.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41But it's bad news for our garden birds, where once-common breeds
0:01:41 > 0:01:43like the house sparrow and starling are in alarming decline.
0:01:46 > 0:01:50And there is one perennial problem that just refuses to go away -
0:01:50 > 0:01:53the persecution of birds of prey.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57'A subject that was about to lead me into my most unexpected
0:01:57 > 0:02:00'and surreal wildlife crime mystery.'
0:02:03 > 0:02:06Do you know, I get emergency call-outs from everywhere,
0:02:06 > 0:02:09whether it be the police, the fire brigade,
0:02:09 > 0:02:11wildlife organisations, or just concerned individuals.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15But today I've had a call-out from my mum.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18'And, being a good son, I'm in Fairwater, Cardiff,
0:02:18 > 0:02:20'seeing what's up.'
0:02:20 > 0:02:22Hello. Are you all right?
0:02:22 > 0:02:24Hello! Come on in, yes.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26- Do you want to show me what you've got?- This is mad!
0:02:26 > 0:02:27Do you know what it is?
0:02:27 > 0:02:30No! I think it's a sparrow hawk, but I'm not sure.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32- All right, we'll have a look. - What do you think?
0:02:32 > 0:02:34Ah, I think it's a kestrel, Mum!
0:02:34 > 0:02:36Is it?!
0:02:36 > 0:02:39Yeah, it's a male kestrel. He's got jesses on, hasn't he?
0:02:39 > 0:02:40Yes!
0:02:40 > 0:02:44Leather straps that the falconer has to control him in the hand.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47Right, tell me the story of exactly how you found him.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50Right...well, it was half past six this morning, and we were
0:02:50 > 0:02:52walking the dog, and we got to the corner, turning the corner,
0:02:52 > 0:02:56and he was stood on the wall, which wasn't more than a foot high, and
0:02:56 > 0:03:00he didn't move, so I took a few steps closer, and he still didn't move
0:03:00 > 0:03:04so I walked up to him and put my arm by him gently and he stepped on,
0:03:04 > 0:03:09so I held onto the jess, and brought him back, before a cat got him,
0:03:09 > 0:03:13because he was only a foot off the floor, anything could have got him!
0:03:14 > 0:03:16I'm a bit mystified by this bird.
0:03:16 > 0:03:20The jesses indicate that it's a captive-bred, kept bird.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23But a captive-bred kestrel is totally reliant
0:03:23 > 0:03:25on humans for its food, and on seeing my mum,
0:03:25 > 0:03:29the first thing I would've expected it to do is cry out to be fed.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33It didn't, and nor is it crying out now.
0:03:33 > 0:03:34So the alternative option is
0:03:34 > 0:03:37that somebody has illegally taken it from the wild.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40'But there is no way a wild kestrel would allow a human
0:03:40 > 0:03:45'to pick it up, unless it is in shock, injured or seriously ill.'
0:03:45 > 0:03:48- Can I move him into the kitchen, Mum?- Of course you can.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50'It's time I took a closer look.'
0:03:50 > 0:03:55Let's have a look here. Right, the good thing straight away,
0:03:55 > 0:03:58there's a strong grip on my thumb, all right?
0:03:58 > 0:04:01Which tells me that he hasn't broken his legs,
0:04:01 > 0:04:04he's holding on really well there, so there's a nice, firm grip.
0:04:04 > 0:04:09Now, what I want to test, is if he's broken any of his wings.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11Was he on the ground because he broke a wing?
0:04:11 > 0:04:13Now, you can grab his wings
0:04:13 > 0:04:15and you can pull them, but there is a much easier way to do it,
0:04:15 > 0:04:17and that is to just slightly off-balance him,
0:04:17 > 0:04:20so if I come underneath and slightly off-balance him,
0:04:20 > 0:04:24he should... There we go, he's spread his wings, that was fine.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27Let's have a look. Get him to do that.
0:04:28 > 0:04:34Lovely strong wings, they're brilliant. Now, this guy is hungry.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37In a little yellow bag that I've brought with me
0:04:37 > 0:04:40I've got some grubs in a box.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43Now, these are beetle larvae.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48These are full of vitamins and good fats,
0:04:48 > 0:04:53so we could just to see if he'll eat these first, let's have a look.
0:04:59 > 0:05:05Oh, look at that. There we go, straight away. Excellent!
0:05:05 > 0:05:09'Having happily guzzled on some grubs, I reached into my
0:05:09 > 0:05:14'wildlife emergency backpack to try him on a succulent dead mouse.
0:05:14 > 0:05:15'Good choice.'
0:05:15 > 0:05:17While he's eating his food there,
0:05:17 > 0:05:20I wanted to check if he had a ring on his leg.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22Ah, there's no ring at all.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25And that...that upsets me
0:05:25 > 0:05:27because any responsible falconer
0:05:27 > 0:05:30should always have a ring on their bird,
0:05:30 > 0:05:35and that way it would be quite easy for me to read a reference number
0:05:35 > 0:05:39off that ring, and I'd be able to reunite it with its owner.
0:05:39 > 0:05:46The fact it isn't rung, really...makes me uncomfortable,
0:05:46 > 0:05:49because then I want to know why isn't it rung?
0:05:49 > 0:05:54I think the best thing to do is to contact PC Mark Goulding.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57'Having weighed the available evidence, I'm still not sure
0:05:57 > 0:06:00'if this bird is captive-bred or wild-caught,
0:06:00 > 0:06:03'which means I need to speak to PC Goulding because if it has been
0:06:03 > 0:06:07'taken from the wild, then a criminal offence has been committed.'
0:06:09 > 0:06:14Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981, it is an offence
0:06:14 > 0:06:20to kill, injure, disturb or take any wild bird, its eggs, or its nest.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25But in the wild, European kestrels are our most common birds of prey.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27They're very different and easy to spot
0:06:27 > 0:06:30as they are the only birds of prey that truly hover when hunting.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33You'll often see them at the sides of dual carriageways
0:06:33 > 0:06:36and motorways, hunting for voles and other small mammals.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40And, like all birds of prey, they're eagle-eyed.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42And lightning-fast.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47- I'll let you know how he gets on. - Yes.
0:06:47 > 0:06:48But little did I realise,
0:06:48 > 0:06:51as I took the kestrel back to my aviary for the night,
0:06:51 > 0:06:53that this was just the beginning of the story,
0:06:53 > 0:06:57and that by the next morning it would have taken a dark twist.
0:07:00 > 0:07:05'In the meantime, I had an emergency call-out to attend.'
0:07:05 > 0:07:09I like a bit of rain. Normally, it means no snake call-outs whatsoever.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Too wet and cold for them to come out.
0:07:11 > 0:07:17I've been called up by John, who's just seen a snake in his garden shed.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21John recovered a very large snake skin from the shed,
0:07:21 > 0:07:24to back up his claims.
0:07:24 > 0:07:25So we're on our way.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28There's no gold at the bottom of this rainbow,
0:07:28 > 0:07:31but if you live in Newport, apparently you get the occasional snake incident.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33There's the shed. OK.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40How did you come across this snake?
0:07:40 > 0:07:44It was Stephen, really, he was cutting the grass...
0:07:44 > 0:07:46I was cutting the grass,
0:07:46 > 0:07:49and then ran out of petrol so I went to the shed to get some more,
0:07:49 > 0:07:53then I just saw it on the tarpaulin slipping away down the back.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56Describe the animal to me, even including its movement.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00Kind of an olivey-green colour, with a black line going down the back.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03OK, how close were you to the animal when you saw it?
0:08:03 > 0:08:04About 5-6 foot.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06OK, quite close, then.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09We opened the shed door to have a look in,
0:08:09 > 0:08:14and the first thing we noticed was the skin.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18Well, the good news is it looks very much like a grass snake.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22We've had a lot of rain recently.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24If this little snake was caught out in all that rain,
0:08:24 > 0:08:26you can imagine, when rain falls on a snake,
0:08:26 > 0:08:30it cools the snake and it hasn't got the opportunity to warm up again,
0:08:30 > 0:08:32so it will shelter away,
0:08:32 > 0:08:36but that certainly looks like a grass snake head,
0:08:36 > 0:08:40but the thing to do is to get out there and have a look.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53Can you just keep an eye just down there for me, OK?
0:08:58 > 0:09:00Nice and dry in here, eh?
0:09:01 > 0:09:05Good place for a snake to take refuge.
0:09:08 > 0:09:09Hopefully we won't need that, eh?
0:09:14 > 0:09:16I thought I just heard movement.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21Trying to listen if we get a response.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27Another snake skin. This looks like grass snake.
0:09:31 > 0:09:32And a snake.
0:09:38 > 0:09:39Have a whiff of that.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43I think this little girl could be gravid.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47There she is, and she's feigning death,
0:09:47 > 0:09:51straight into feigning death, look at that, "Don't come near me,
0:09:51 > 0:09:56"I've died." She's not being aggressive, she's feigning death.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00And also... Goodness me, my eyes are watering.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04She's exuded this really disgusting, very potent smell
0:10:04 > 0:10:07from her anal glad,
0:10:07 > 0:10:10and if you were a fox or any other animal, you would think
0:10:10 > 0:10:15this animal was dead. But look at that, she'll open her mouth,
0:10:15 > 0:10:20and look how limp she is, she's just pretending she's dead.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24There's nothing wrong with this snake at all, it's a ploy.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26She's just hoping that I'll think that she's dead,
0:10:26 > 0:10:29from the smell of it, "Whoa, she's been dead for weeks,"
0:10:29 > 0:10:34in the hope I'll put her down and that she'll live to see another day.
0:10:34 > 0:10:39Who'd want to eat carrion that's been dead for that long? Whoa!
0:10:39 > 0:10:41Is this what you saw, John?
0:10:41 > 0:10:45No, it was much darker and thicker than that.
0:10:45 > 0:10:46Much darker and thicker?
0:10:46 > 0:10:51She's just shed her skin now, so she will look a lot lighter,
0:10:51 > 0:10:54and before she shed her skin, she'll look darker,
0:10:54 > 0:10:58and she's gravid. She's about to lay a couple of eggs.
0:10:58 > 0:11:04The thing is, John, she's using the side of your shed at the moment,
0:11:04 > 0:11:08because its warmer in your shed, but what this snake will be doing
0:11:08 > 0:11:12in your garden is hunting down all the slugs and other pests that
0:11:12 > 0:11:16will be around your garden. It's doing your garden a lot of good.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20But I've noticed what you've got is a fantastic compost heap
0:11:20 > 0:11:24right behind this shed. And that would be a wonderful place for
0:11:24 > 0:11:29her to lay her eggs, and she will be able to bring up her young there.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33I really would love to appeal to your kind side to see
0:11:33 > 0:11:35if you would allow her remain living here with you,
0:11:35 > 0:11:39now that you know she won't cause you any problem. Is that something you'd consider?
0:11:39 > 0:11:43- Yeah, certainly.- Oh, that's wonderful, that is brilliant!
0:11:43 > 0:11:45OK, come with me, come with me.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49Now it's been raining outside quite heavily,
0:11:49 > 0:11:54it's cold just about to get dark, so we will pop her back exactly
0:11:54 > 0:11:58where we found her, and she'll be happy, we'll leave her in peace.
0:12:06 > 0:12:07Happy ending!
0:12:09 > 0:12:13'It was a happy ending for the grass snake,
0:12:13 > 0:12:15'but the following morning, I went to see
0:12:15 > 0:12:18'South Wales Police Wildlife Crime Officer PC Mark Goulding.
0:12:20 > 0:12:25'Overnight, the kestrel's story had taken a distressing turn.'
0:12:27 > 0:12:31That, unfortunately, is our kestrel. I got up this morning
0:12:31 > 0:12:35and it's just died overnight, it had come off the perch
0:12:35 > 0:12:38and had just curled up in the corner and died.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42I have to say I am absolutely devastated
0:12:42 > 0:12:45and hugely upset about the situation.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49Obviously, when we chatted, the bird was alive and well.
0:12:49 > 0:12:54There was no problem with it. Have you found anything that would
0:12:54 > 0:12:57lend itself to something I would be interested in?
0:12:57 > 0:13:01Indeed, if I can just show you... Obviously, at this time of year,
0:13:01 > 0:13:03we'd be expecting kestrels to be in moult.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07When I looked at the state of the tail feathers,
0:13:07 > 0:13:10I immediately presumed it was down to moult,
0:13:10 > 0:13:13but when we look at the primary feathers here,
0:13:13 > 0:13:17they're all in pretty good nick, but when I turn this bird over,
0:13:17 > 0:13:20I think it tells a different story.
0:13:20 > 0:13:25When we look underneath, not only are they in very bad condition...
0:13:25 > 0:13:28They look like they've been cut.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31They've been cut, Mark, there is no doubt, they have been cut.
0:13:31 > 0:13:36Just here, look. I mean, this should be that long.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40Both of these should be that long, and of course, if you don't have
0:13:40 > 0:13:42those tail feathers in place,
0:13:42 > 0:13:44it's like being without the rudder of a plane,
0:13:44 > 0:13:48you just spin uncontrollably as you try to take off.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52In my opinion, this tail has been deliberately cut,
0:13:52 > 0:13:55so that this bird can't fly off.
0:13:55 > 0:14:00The thing that bothers me is that you've got a set of jesses,
0:14:00 > 0:14:03and falconers like to fly their birds,
0:14:03 > 0:14:08so I'm a bit confused why those tail feathers would be intentionally cut,
0:14:08 > 0:14:10reducing its ability to fly.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13I'm wondering whether this bird was a display bird.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16When I say "display bird", I'm talking about a perch.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19If this is a display bird, Rhys,
0:14:19 > 0:14:22the individual that owned the bird would need
0:14:22 > 0:14:24a Performing Animals Licence,
0:14:24 > 0:14:27so that you could consider is a line of enquiry.
0:14:27 > 0:14:32However, you can get a Performing Animals Licence
0:14:32 > 0:14:36from your local authority where you live,
0:14:36 > 0:14:40but you can use that Performing Animals Licence anywhere.
0:14:40 > 0:14:46I'm afraid we have to be wholly realistic on what we can achieve.
0:14:46 > 0:14:50And say we identify an individual who has a Performing Animals Licence
0:14:50 > 0:14:54who's utilised kestrels, you go to him, "Have you lost a kestrel?"
0:14:54 > 0:14:57"No." And that's it, Rhys.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00We need something stronger.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04If it had a ring, that would have been a really good start
0:15:04 > 0:15:06but I would suggest that if the bird had a ring,
0:15:06 > 0:15:13we were liable to find a lawful professional falconer.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19Having reached this impasse, I am full of anger and frustration
0:15:19 > 0:15:24that there's no identifying ring, no microchip,
0:15:24 > 0:15:27so PC Goulding and myself can't take this any further,
0:15:27 > 0:15:30and when it comes to British birds of prey,
0:15:30 > 0:15:34that's a state of affairs which occurs all too regularly.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38'Here in Wales, we're fortunate enough to have a dozen native
0:15:38 > 0:15:40'bird of prey species.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43'These birds of prey, or "raptors", as they're also known,
0:15:43 > 0:15:46'range from the relatively abundant kestrel,
0:15:46 > 0:15:48'to the extremely rare osprey,
0:15:48 > 0:15:51'of which there are just two breeding pairs, both in North Wales.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55'But raptor persecution is so prevalent throughout Wales
0:15:55 > 0:16:01'that for Welsh police forces, it's become a wildlife crime priority.'
0:16:01 > 0:16:03Shootings, poisonings,
0:16:03 > 0:16:07the black-market trade in live wild chicks and adults.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10All are happening under our noses in Wales.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15But the most common form of persecution of all bird types,
0:16:15 > 0:16:19not just raptors, is the stealing of wild bird eggs.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25And on the same morning I showed the dead kestrel to PC Goulding,
0:16:25 > 0:16:28he brought my attention to an illegal egg collection
0:16:28 > 0:16:31that was to have extraordinary repercussions.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35I've currently got a case ongoing at the moment,
0:16:35 > 0:16:39and it's in relation to the possession of bird eggs.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42It is an offence to be in possession
0:16:42 > 0:16:45of wild bird eggs. This case contains quite a few.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48The circumstances are,
0:16:48 > 0:16:52a drugs warrant was sworn out against a property, where there was
0:16:52 > 0:16:58a known offender. They went in and they searched the house.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00They didn't find any drugs,
0:17:00 > 0:17:04but they did find these eggs under a double bed.
0:17:04 > 0:17:05If I show you...
0:17:05 > 0:17:09'In three separate boxes, there were almost 30 different species
0:17:09 > 0:17:10'of wild bird eggs.'
0:17:10 > 0:17:15Duck, yeah? We've got quail, two song thrushes.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17This is unusual.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20Black swan.
0:17:20 > 0:17:21It is black swan.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24The majority had already been identified for Mark
0:17:24 > 0:17:27by my colleagues at the National Museum, Wales.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30Listen to this... great spotted woodpecker.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33Just unbelievable.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35'But Mark was hoping
0:17:35 > 0:17:37'I could help with the three eggs they were unable to identify,
0:17:37 > 0:17:40'and of course, I wouldn't wish to disappoint him.'
0:17:40 > 0:17:45Mark, could I just point out something that's really interesting to me?
0:17:45 > 0:17:47That one looks like a raptor egg.
0:17:48 > 0:17:49Yeah.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57To be honest, Rhys, I felt one was a raptor egg.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59This one here?
0:17:59 > 0:18:03Yeah, if I say number one is unidentified.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07Right, well, straight away the raptor egg,
0:18:07 > 0:18:09normally, they're a lot rounder.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12If that is a raptor egg, that is significant.
0:18:12 > 0:18:17Oh, Mark, I would definitely say that is. Without a doubt.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20- Do you honestly think that's a raptor egg?- I definitely do.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23Straight away, you can't miss that.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25Fancy you seeing that.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28Now you've come in and think it's a raptor egg,
0:18:28 > 0:18:32I'll probably get a photograph done and send it off to RSPB.
0:18:32 > 0:18:38- Thanks for coming in.- Not at all. - Well, you've just given me more work.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40- RHYS LAUGHS I appreciate that(!)- Sorry, Mark!
0:18:40 > 0:18:43I've got enough to do.
0:18:43 > 0:18:47'I've added to Mark's workload because if I am right,
0:18:47 > 0:18:49'and the RSPB do identify this as a raptor egg,
0:18:49 > 0:18:53'then the person who stole it could be in serious trouble.'
0:18:53 > 0:18:57Since 1954, it has been illegal to take or destroy
0:18:57 > 0:18:59the eggs of any British wild bird.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03Additionally, the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act
0:19:03 > 0:19:07offers further protection for seven of our 12 Welsh raptors.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11And anyone caught in possession of a live bird or egg
0:19:11 > 0:19:15from one of these species faces a fine of up to £5,000
0:19:15 > 0:19:18and even a six-month prison sentence.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24But our workload on this particular case had only just begun.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26Earlier that morning, and unknown to me,
0:19:26 > 0:19:30Mark had received a phone call about another wildlife crime with a direct
0:19:30 > 0:19:34but totally bizarre link with the case of the illegal egg collection.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40As we headed out to a secret location in South Wales,
0:19:40 > 0:19:44Mark explained the next chapter in this strange story.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47Just prior to you arriving, and when we were looking at the eggs,
0:19:47 > 0:19:53I'd received a call from the chairman of a shooting club,
0:19:53 > 0:19:58and they've reported that over the last week,
0:19:58 > 0:20:04a number of their ducks that they have reared for the shoot,
0:20:04 > 0:20:07have basically been taken.
0:20:07 > 0:20:13What's interesting about this is that a phone has been left at scene,
0:20:13 > 0:20:18and you're going to find this remarkable,
0:20:18 > 0:20:22but the case I've got in relation to the eggs we've been looking at,
0:20:22 > 0:20:29the person I suspect is responsible, his picture is on this phone.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33- You are joking with me. - No, absolutely genuine.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36'Could this possibly be true?
0:20:36 > 0:20:39'The suspected illegal egg collector has also been stealing
0:20:39 > 0:20:41'ducks from a private shooting club,
0:20:41 > 0:20:45'only to be dumb enough to drop their phone at the crime scene?
0:20:45 > 0:20:48'Seriously, you just couldn't make it up!
0:20:50 > 0:20:53'We rendezvous with the chairman of the shooting club
0:20:53 > 0:20:55'to make further enquiries.'
0:20:55 > 0:20:59Mark's just talking to the gentleman now. Unfortunately,
0:20:59 > 0:21:03he doesn't want to be identified. I understand why, he runs his own
0:21:03 > 0:21:06business, he's a little nervous about the repercussion of his face
0:21:06 > 0:21:09being on camera. What he has said is he's going to allow is to jump
0:21:09 > 0:21:12into his four-by-four, and go down and have a look at the pond.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14More importantly,
0:21:14 > 0:21:17he's given Mark a statement and he's handed over the mobile phone.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22The chairman of the shoot leads Mark and I
0:21:22 > 0:21:26to two gated enclosures surrounded by electric fencing.
0:21:26 > 0:21:31These enclosures are a good couple of miles from the nearest main road,
0:21:31 > 0:21:35in a secluded clearing surrounded by farmland and woodland.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38In the first enclosure are 600 pheasant that are being
0:21:38 > 0:21:41reared to be released for the shoot.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44Inside the second enclosure are 25 mallards.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47But this time last week, there were 50.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50So where have all the mallards gone?
0:21:52 > 0:21:53In any given season,
0:21:53 > 0:21:56a third of the birds reared for the shoot will escape the enclosure
0:21:56 > 0:21:59and live out their lives in the wild.
0:21:59 > 0:22:03Another third will be killed, primarily by foxes,
0:22:03 > 0:22:08and the final third will fall to the gun.
0:22:08 > 0:22:13So what about our 25 mallards? Have they simply flown off?
0:22:13 > 0:22:15Possibly, but why?
0:22:15 > 0:22:19This place is a penthouse suite for ducks.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22There's an automated feeding machine, an en-suite pond,
0:22:22 > 0:22:27and an electrified fence to keep those pesky foxes at bay.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32Now you might get the odd duck daft enough to flee this Shangri-La,
0:22:32 > 0:22:34but not 25.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36So how about a fox?
0:22:36 > 0:22:39Well, if a fox had got in, they're messy eaters
0:22:39 > 0:22:44and there would be bodies and feathers everywhere.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47Which brings us to the one solid piece of evidence
0:22:47 > 0:22:50found at the scene - a mobile phone.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54How many foxes do you know with a pay-as-you-go deal(?)
0:22:55 > 0:23:00Obviously, the main evidence we've got at the moment
0:23:00 > 0:23:04is that we've got a mobile phone within the pen.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07That is significant and it was found
0:23:07 > 0:23:12near to the body of a bird that the witness believed had been shot.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15That, too, is also significant.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19The witness here believes that it was
0:23:19 > 0:23:21highly likely that the ducks were held to a lamp
0:23:21 > 0:23:24and whilst they were in the beam of the lamp,
0:23:24 > 0:23:27an air riffle was used - and shot each bird,
0:23:27 > 0:23:30and then they simply climb over the fence, get in, get the bird.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33Hence we don't have any feathers, we have nothing.
0:23:33 > 0:23:38Someone has got a fridge or freezer full of these animals.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42On the face of it, the owner of the dropped phone is now
0:23:42 > 0:23:45potentially looking at two criminal charges. Firstly,
0:23:45 > 0:23:49the taking of protected bird eggs from the wild, and secondly,
0:23:49 > 0:23:52the theft of up to 25 mallards.
0:23:53 > 0:23:58And after a little further investigation, the RSPB identified
0:23:58 > 0:24:02the raptor egg as either that of a sparrow hawk, or of a little owl.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06And whilst neither of these are Schedule 1 birds, it is
0:24:06 > 0:24:09still a criminal offence to be in possession of their eggs, and
0:24:09 > 0:24:13PC Goulding has now got sufficient evidence to pursue the individual
0:24:13 > 0:24:18he believes is behind both crimes, a man named Craig Wheedon.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22'And we are about to try tracking him down.'
0:24:22 > 0:24:26OK, Rhys, your role is, if we get him on the property,
0:24:26 > 0:24:29we're going to search the property, and what we're looking for is
0:24:29 > 0:24:34any additional wildlife issues, any eggs. We want to check
0:24:34 > 0:24:36the freezers and fridges to see if any of those mallards have
0:24:36 > 0:24:40been rammed in the freezers. I just need you to be aware, OK,
0:24:40 > 0:24:47if we get into any properties, this individual does have previous.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51So, you need to be mindful of any syringes,
0:24:51 > 0:24:56anything in the property, so just be very careful when we get in there.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01'We head for Barry in search of the individual we're looking for,
0:25:01 > 0:25:04'and to the first of two addresses he is believed to frequent.'
0:25:09 > 0:25:12- Hello?- Hello, South Wales Police. Could you buzz us in, please?
0:25:12 > 0:25:14- Yeah.- Thanks.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19This is Dr Rhys Jones. We're looking for Craig.
0:25:19 > 0:25:23- Craig? I don't know where he is. - You don't know where he is?- No.
0:25:23 > 0:25:24Has he been staying here? No?
0:25:24 > 0:25:27Haven't seen him for about 2½ month.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31Right. Can we have a quick look around just to double check?
0:25:31 > 0:25:33Yeah, go and have a look around.
0:25:33 > 0:25:34Cheers, mate.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39'The first address draws a blank,
0:25:39 > 0:25:42'so we head off to the second, hoping we're not already too late.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45'If word has got around the area that we're here, our suspect
0:25:45 > 0:25:47'might have already fled.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52'Five minutes later, when we do arrive at the second address,
0:25:52 > 0:25:55'it's like we've walked onto the set of Goldilocks, The Movie.
0:25:55 > 0:26:00'All the windows are open, but there appears to be no-one at home.'
0:26:00 > 0:26:04Hello, South Wales Police!
0:26:06 > 0:26:12No surprises, it's all open. Someone's...they've gone.
0:26:12 > 0:26:18There's dogs and birdcages out the back, but do you normally go out
0:26:18 > 0:26:20and leave all your windows open?
0:26:20 > 0:26:24The music's on, everything's on, I think he's gone out the front.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32'It would appear that the very trusting occupants have just
0:26:32 > 0:26:35'popped out. Perhaps to a neighbourhood watch meeting(?)'
0:26:35 > 0:26:38It is without doubt likely that the person at the last address
0:26:38 > 0:26:45has given the heads up. We've come here and the house has
0:26:45 > 0:26:50clearly been abandoned, all the windows are open, the television is on.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53I heard some noises inside. He's not there,
0:26:53 > 0:26:57but I am absolutely convinced he was there,
0:26:57 > 0:27:01and this is interestingly where the warrant was done and the eggs
0:27:01 > 0:27:05were recovered, but there's nothing in there and nobody there.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09'We take a quick turn around the local estate,
0:27:09 > 0:27:15'but in this cat-and-mouse game, today it was the mouse's day.
0:27:15 > 0:27:20'Although, 24 hours later, Craig Wheedon contacted PC Goulding
0:27:20 > 0:27:23'and arranged to voluntarily attend an interview under caution
0:27:23 > 0:27:25'in the presence of his solicitor.'
0:27:25 > 0:27:29At this interview, Wheedon admitted being in possession of British
0:27:29 > 0:27:33wild bird eggs. He further accepted that the mobile phone
0:27:33 > 0:27:35found at the bird pen was indeed his.
0:27:35 > 0:27:40'And finally volunteered that he had also taken a number of the mallard.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44'Craig Wheedon was then charged with theft of the mallards
0:27:44 > 0:27:47'and possession of British wild bird eggs.'
0:27:47 > 0:27:50Both charges carry a maximum fine of £5,000
0:27:50 > 0:27:53and a six-month prison sentence.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56'At Cardiff Magistrates Court
0:27:56 > 0:27:59'Craig Wheedon pleaded guilty, and in consideration of this fact,
0:27:59 > 0:28:02'he was given a one-year conditional discharge.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06'The condition? If he commits any other criminal offences
0:28:06 > 0:28:11'in the next 12 months, then both charges will be re-instated.'
0:28:11 > 0:28:14So let's just hope, for the next calendar year anyway,
0:28:14 > 0:28:18that Mr Wheedon can keep his hands off our wildlife.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23'Next time I get a midnight call-out
0:28:23 > 0:28:25'to an unwanted intruder.'
0:28:25 > 0:28:27There's a snake on the stairs.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30'I come over all unnecessary in the woods.
0:28:30 > 0:28:34'And I aim to prove that by bringing back this big blighter,
0:28:34 > 0:28:38'we can save our Welsh countryside from an invasion of these.'
0:28:49 > 0:28:52Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd