April 5, 2023 10.00 am This story is over 26 months old

Wildlife disturbance increasing around Humber Estuary

Operation Seabird was recently launched in Lincolnshire

The problem of wildlife disturbance around the Humber Estuary is a growing one, according to authorities who want to tackle it.

Operation Seabird was recently launched to help raise awareness and protect wildlife.

Last year the Humber Nature Partnership received 190 reports of wildlife disturbance from members of the public.

Jackson Sage from Humber Nature Partnership told BBC Look North: “That ranged from very obvious things such as off-roading and people getting way too close to animals and disturbing them directly, but then also we get a lot of things which is less obvious such as dogs off a lead or people just not giving wildlife enough space.”

Operation Seabird was launched on April 4, with organisations across the Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and Humber coasts coming together to raise awareness of the threats to wildlife.

Detective Constable Aaron Flint, Wildlife Crime Officer at Lincolnshire Police. | Screenshot: BBC Look North

The launch involved visible police patrols looking out for disturbance and anti-social behaviour, as well as offering advice to visitors about how they can minimise their impact on the coastal wildlife.

Detective Constable Aaron Flint, Wildlife Crime Officer at Lincolnshire Police, told BBC Look North: “This weekend there was some off-road motorcycles down here, riding all over the foot paths.

“There’s lots of signs around saying you can’t ride your motorbikes and don’t do this and they’re just ignored and they’re the people we will prosecute.”

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