Chris Packham ‘won’t be intimidated’ after dead crows strung up on his gate

Wildlife presenter Chris Packham has been targeted by sick vandals who strung up two dead birds on the gate leading to his country home.

The 57-year-old found the crows hanging from his front gate in the New Forest, Hants, this morning.

It comes just the day after the conservationist and other campaigners succeeded in securing a ban on farmers shooting “pest” birds on their land.

Chris told the Mirror: “I got up this morning and left the house at about six and got to the bottom of the lane.

“It’s about half a mile from the house so our CCTV doesn’t reach that far. And I saw the birds hanging on there and the lock to the gate had been filled with glue so I couldn’t get out.

“But I will never let these people get to me. They will never ever stop me in my pursuit of trying to make the countryside a better place for wildlife, it doesn’t matter what they do.”

He added: “Ultimately, if you’ve got enemies it’s because you stood up to someone and I will continue to do that.

“I’ll never give in to that intimidation. All it does is make me think I will just try harder.”

In the past General Licences issued by public body Natural England allowed the killing of 16 wild bird species, often seen as pests by farmers, including several members of the crow family.

But now people wanting to shoot these birds must apply for individual licences, after the successful campaign by Chris's not-for-profit organisation Wild Justice, alongside campaigners Dr Mark Avery and Dr Ruth Tingey.

Chris said since the ruling he’s received an “aggressive” response on his social media platforms.

“Yesterday we won that case and I think if you look at my Twitter time line and Facebook page, there’s an enormous amount of misunderstanding and misinterpretation on there,” he said.

“And there’s been a frenzy of hatred whipped up which is entirely misplaced. We won the case. All we want to do is make sure birds aren’t needlessly killed in the UK countryside.”

Chris shared the upsetting image on his Twitter page this morning and said: “This was my gate this morning. It was vandalised. Hants Police and lawyers have been informed.”

He then tagged a number of countryside and nature organisations in his Tweet and asked: “Can I ask you to comment on whether you condone this?”

Natural England replied: “Of course we don’t condone this type of behaviour, it’s never justified no matter how strongly people feel about an issue.”

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation responded saying: “We absolutely condemn such behaviour. We are clear – there is no place for illegality in the countryside.

"Will you also condemn the illegal behaviour of people who target legitimate rural businesses, such as those who release pheasants from game farms?”

Hampshire police said in a statement: “We received a report at 6.57am on 25 April of criminal damage to a property in Arters Lawn, Marchwood.

“The incident took place between 8pm on 24 April and 6.50am on 25 April.”

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