21 May 2007 - A new book about life fighting wildlife crime will be launched at the AK Bell Library in Perth on 21 May.
A new book about life fighting wildlife crime will be launched at the AK Bell Library in Perth on 21 May.
The book, entitled 'Wildlife Detective - A Life Fighting Wildlife Crime' has been written by Tayside Police's Wildlife and Environment Officer Alan Stewart.
After a long police career including service in CID and as an Inspector, Alan was appointed as Wildlife Crime Officer in 1993, the first such specialist post in Scottish policing. Since then his work has achieved a high reputation in drawing wildlife issues to a wider public. And, just as important, his work has brought to light the need to address policing and legal issues for those who engage in crimes such as poisoning, poaching, animal cruelty, and egg theft.
Alan said the inspiration to write the book came from a number of sources. He said,
"I was asked in the Spring of 2005 to participate in filming for a 4-part TV series (Wildlife Detectives) which will transmit on BBC Scotland in July. The filming took a year to complete. At the same time the subsequent editor of the book, Sean Bradley, who just happens to be married to my daughter, also put some pressure on me to put my experiences and anecdotes down on paper. He had heard many of them over the years and he thought that they may be of interest to at least a few people. He coerced and cajoled and I capitulated."
It was natural that the first section of this book would be about poaching as Alan has dealt with well over a hundred salmon poaching cases as well as game and deer poaching.
Alan added,
"Though the police have always had the statutory responsibility and powers to investigate wildlife crime there was little more than lip-service paid to this aspect of policing until the advent of police wildlife crime officers. Results were very disappointing. Legislation was badly drafted and due to inexperience at that time in the police service investigations were often unsuccessful. The range of wildlife crime was enormous, covering wild bird egg collecting, interference with freshwater pearl mussels, illegal shooting, poisoning and trapping, hare coursing, badger digging, destruction of birds, nests, illegal shooting of seals, disturbance of dolphins and much more."
Available to buy from any good book stores or online at Amazon Books Website. ISBN : 9781906134044
The book, entitled 'Wildlife Detective - A Life Fighting Wildlife Crime' has been written by Tayside Police's Wildlife and Environment Officer Alan Stewart.
After a long police career including service in CID and as an Inspector, Alan was appointed as Wildlife Crime Officer in 1993, the first such specialist post in Scottish policing. Since then his work has achieved a high reputation in drawing wildlife issues to a wider public. And, just as important, his work has brought to light the need to address policing and legal issues for those who engage in crimes such as poisoning, poaching, animal cruelty, and egg theft.
Alan said the inspiration to write the book came from a number of sources. He said,
"I was asked in the Spring of 2005 to participate in filming for a 4-part TV series (Wildlife Detectives) which will transmit on BBC Scotland in July. The filming took a year to complete. At the same time the subsequent editor of the book, Sean Bradley, who just happens to be married to my daughter, also put some pressure on me to put my experiences and anecdotes down on paper. He had heard many of them over the years and he thought that they may be of interest to at least a few people. He coerced and cajoled and I capitulated."
It was natural that the first section of this book would be about poaching as Alan has dealt with well over a hundred salmon poaching cases as well as game and deer poaching.
Alan added,
"Though the police have always had the statutory responsibility and powers to investigate wildlife crime there was little more than lip-service paid to this aspect of policing until the advent of police wildlife crime officers. Results were very disappointing. Legislation was badly drafted and due to inexperience at that time in the police service investigations were often unsuccessful. The range of wildlife crime was enormous, covering wild bird egg collecting, interference with freshwater pearl mussels, illegal shooting, poisoning and trapping, hare coursing, badger digging, destruction of birds, nests, illegal shooting of seals, disturbance of dolphins and much more."
Available to buy from any good book stores or online at Amazon Books Website. ISBN : 9781906134044