Incidents are now being recorded at a rate of 120 a week. They cover not only the slaughtering of badgers and rare birds of prey, but also egg thefts, bird trapping, deer poaching and habitat destruction. Rural areas are where most incidents occur, with Northumbria a conspicuous target for wildlife criminals. More than 500 incidents have been recorded there, with Grampian (244), Humberside (195), and North Wales (188) also wildlife crime hotspots.

a group of goldfinches is a charm

One of the sharpest rises has been in badger persecution, badgers are dug out of their setts, nailed to trees by the tail & terrier dogs set upon them . Between February and July this year, the National Wildlife Crime Unit recorded 241 incidents of badger persecution, a total that in just six months almost exceeded the 280 reported incidents in 2008.

People are betting on the outcomes of fights, and live badgers can fetch a high price. "We have been told that in the Liverpool area, a live badger is now worth £1,000 so that it can be fought with a dog."