In a historic operation, UK police have seized more than 6,000 illegal wild bird eggs, marking the largest haul of its kind in the country’s history.
The raid, conducted across Scotland, South Yorkshire, Essex, Wales, and Gloucester, uncovered the eggs hidden in attics, drawers, and offices, as part of an international crackdown on organised wildlife crime.
The raids, which took place in November 2023, were part of Operation Pulka, a global initiative targeting the illegal trade, possession, and trafficking of wild bird eggs.
This operation follows similar actions in Norway and Australia, where authorities have seized tens of thousands of eggs. In Norway, 50,000 eggs were confiscated, while Australia seized around 3,500 eggs valued at up to £250,000.
Authorities believe the egg trafficking is controlled by a sophisticated international crime network.
The National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) confirmed that the UK raid was the largest of its kind, not only in terms of the number of eggs seized but also in the scale of the operation.
DI Mark Harrison from the NWCU stated, “These criminals are highly organised, and the rarer the species, the higher its demand and value to them.”
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The illegal egg trade has significant impacts on wildlife, with rare species often targeted.
Experts warn that this kind of wildlife crime is not only driven by collectors but also by organised criminals, making the scale of the operation deeply concerning.
Dominic Meeks, from the University of Cambridge, explained, “The complexity of this operation appears to be far greater, with numerous actors operating in different countries, which can have devastating effects on target species.”
Wild egg collecting, once a popular hobby in the Victorian era, is now illegal under the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981.
However, some collectors continue the practice underground, despite the harm it causes to endangered species. Authorities are now working to identify the eggs’ species and assess the haul’s value.