Hare hunting ‘epidemic’ in North Tipp
Rural communities urged to report suspicious activity
Checkpoints are being set up in parts of Tipperary and Clare as part of a new drive to combat illegal hare hunting, a problem that is worsening across the country.
Authorities agree that there is a greater prevalence of hunters trespassing on private lands and using more sophisticated means of catching hares with lurcher dogs. This includes the use of thermal-imaging equipment, which makes it much easier for the hunters to find hares and set their dogs upon them, resulting in savage slaughter of the animals.
One local farmer is calling for greater awareness of the problem and far harsher penalties for the perpetrators involved. Maurice told the Guardian that he also wants local communities to engage in text alert schemes or set up the likes of WhatsApp groups so that gardaí are notified as soon as illegal hunters are spotted in a community.
He described the problem as an “epidemic” in North Tipperary and spoke of several recent incidents around the locality that highlight the calibre of those involved. One incident happened just before Christmas in Ballywilliam, where two cars arrived with five men in each and six lurcher dogs.
Having encountered intruders hunting hare on his own land, he referenced another recent incident in nearby O'Brien's Bridge where a farmer in his late 70s was jostled to ground and had dogs set upon him by trespassers. He believed the hunting activity is very often “a front to spotting and casing farmers' property. They won't do the robbery themselves, but they're cousins will.”
HORRIFIC CRUELTY
Intimidating the farmers they encounter, the illegal hunters are inflicting cruel deaths upon the hare they catch, Maurice said, speaking of seeing the remains of one animal that had been “pulled asunder” by dogs. He hit out at the fines imposed on a small number of offenders that do appear before the courts, citing one case where those at fault were fined €300.
“Peanuts,” he scoffed. “They need to get jail. They're breaking the law in the most horrific manner. This is cruelty.”
He levelled blame at the door of politicians, whom he said have allowed those at fault to operate with relative impunity while many people living in rural areas are living in fear.
“I sleep with a gun beside my bed and I'll tell you, I'm not the only one,” Maurice said.
“Politicians on a local or a national level, their silence to this is absolutely astounding. If this was any other sector of the community that was being intimidated, harassed and threatened on a daily basis in their workplace, there would be uproar - national uproar...
“I'm outraged that the local and national politicians haven't taken this up.”
Maurice agreed that the recent Diarmuid Rossa Phelan case, and indeed the recent death of Mayo farmer Padraig Nally, has drawn attention to a growing problem throughout Ireland. While he appealed to people to take details such as vehicle registration numbers, he warned against direct engagement with the intruders, difficult and all as that may be.
“Don't confront them,” was his message to people. “If they see cars that are not from the area, or strange cars and definitely any men with lurcher dogs, straight away ring 999. What needs to be set up in every rural community is a WhatsApp community alert system where any suspicious activity will be reported to the guards and everybody in the community will be alerted at the same time. That is the only way that these people can be stopped.”
‘INFORMATION IS POWER’
Maurice recently aired his concerns on Tipp FM and he wanted to thank the radio station for taking on the issue, saying he got no response from several national stations that he contacted.
He also praised Superintendent Eddie Golden for his efforts to combat the perpetrators in Tipperary. Speaking on Tipp FM, Supt Golden agreed that illegal hare hunting is a worsening problem.
“The phone calls that we're getting now - and the National Parks & Wildlife Service - would suggest that it's happening on a daily basis,” he commented. “We need a co-ordinated effort across the county and other counties to try and stop this happening. We should be able to stop this happening if we get the correct information in.”
Echoing Maurice's call for people to refrain from confronting the intruders themselves, Supt Golden appealed to people to contact the gardaí as soon as they can and with as much detail as they can provide.
“It's not straightforward; all these cases are complex. But I think it's important that the pieces of information - registration numbers of vehicles, descriptions, what type of activity is going on... information is power. When it comes to any kind of criminal acts, not just animal cruelty, it's information that allows an Garda Síochána or any other department to create intelligence and that intelligence can be used in certain ways.” Supt Golden pointed out that there have been local prosecutions brought against illegal hunters by both the gardaí and NPWS.
NPWS Regional Manager Dr Áine Lynch said illegal hare hunters are threatening to wipe out the wild hare population in the areas they visit. NPWS is patrolling certain areas and links in with the gardaí so that they are in position to respond to any calls that come in.
Ms Lynch added that the wildlife legislation is under review with new proposals around increasing fines and the imposition of custodial sentences.
Sergeant Declan O'Carroll of Nenagh Garda Station told this newspaper that there were a number of reports in relation to illegal hunting in the district over Christmas, including one in the Ballymackey area. He said there are ongoing garda efforts in relation to the matter and also encouraged people to report suspicious activity immediately.