'Eye in the Sky' on the Essex and Suffolk Hunt
Equipment Fund #22: Suffolk Action for Wildlife
Suffolk Action For Wildlife (SAF) have been monitoring and exposing illegal hunting across Suffolk since 2021. Focussing on the Essex and Suffolk Hunt, they have always generously shared their news and images with us here at Protect the Wild (see for example ‘CONVICTED! Terrierman guilty after terrorising monitors on quad bike’ and ‘Essex and Suffolk Hunt staff arrested for killing fox’) and we have been asking for a while whether we could reciprocate in some way.
A few weeks ago SAF contacted us about a new drone they were looking to buy. A modern drone with its high-resolution camera and improved battery life would be a major tool in the fight against wildlife crime. They had already begun fundraising, but would we be interested in helping them?
Supporting monitor groups - and helping them tackle wildlife crime - is right up our street! We made a donation that closed the gap between what SAF had raised and what they still needed and asked if there was anything else they needed. Well, as you’re asking, they replied…
After a quick internet search for the right kit at the right price, we sent…well, SAF has asked us not to say exactly what we sent as they don’t want the hunt to know the details, but please believe us when we say what we bought will help and SAF are very grateful - not just to us, of course, but our wonderful supporters who have once again enabled us to purchase vital equipment for a front line group working hard to protect wildlife.
A spokesperson for Suffolk Action for Wildlife told us:
“We have monitors who bring their own drones out, but getting one that belongs to the group means that we don't have to rely on monitors being out on any given day. It also gives a chance for more people within the group to learn to use the drone - which means that we will have eyes in the sky at every meet, weather permitting.
The drone will really come into its own during the upcoming cub hunting season, as we can put it up above the wood that is being surrounded and clearly show illegal hunting is taking place by getting the overall picture of the hunt members on point, with the Huntsman and hounds in the wood. Without a drone it is impossible to show this clearly.
In addition, we have been given equipment that is going to help us monitor local badger setts, checking that they are not interfered with, as unfortunately the local fox hunts seem to target the badger setts as well as foxes.
We are very grateful to Protect the Wild for their help in both these purchases.”
Groups up and down England and Wales are getting themselves ready for another horrific cubbing ‘season’ when the ‘criminals on horseback’ start to hunt the countryside again in the late summer/early autumn. Hunts use fox cubs to train their hounds to chase and kill foxes (see ‘Spoof sports show used to expose sick pastime of 'cub hunting') and are desperate to keep ‘eyes in the field’ off them while they do it.
This year, though, those ‘eyes’ are on hunts like never before as more and more groups have drones to use. Equipment like drones are not cheap to buy and they are out of reach for many small volunteer groups, which is why we set up the Protecting the Wild Support Network! Thanks to you, Suffolk Action for Wildlife will be out in the field with a drone keeping watch, and we will be keeping in touch with them to report back on what they find.
If you’d like to learn more about this small but very active group please visit Suffolk Action for Wildlife on Facebook and Instagram.
Our content is free but we do offer the option of paid subscriptions to help us support the groups we work with like Suffolk Action for Wildlife. They start from as little as £3.50/month and any money we receive from those paid subscriptions is ring-fenced and used to support those on the frontline protecting wildlife. Supporting real people protecting real animals and making a real difference on the ground where it matters most.
Please keep up the brilliant work Protect the Wild and all the sab groups!! The lifesaving work that you do is absolutely amazing and I am so proud to be a small part of it by supporting and donating (if only I could win the lottery for yourselves).
This is the way to go, so happy to be a part of it. The Sabs and Monitors will still be busy in the field for years I suspect, despite any new law that may/may not be effective, the hunts won't care, so lets keep going just as they will! At least we can dare to hope for more prosecutions which will eventually finish them off!