AN emergency meeting has been called between police, landowners and conservation groups to tackle crimes against wildlife in North Yorkshire.

The action was prompted after the discovery that rare birds, released under an important conservation programme, had been found poisoned.

Several red kites released from the Harewood Estate have been found dead in North Yorkshire. Of the 40 birds released, four have been found poisoned so far, while a fifth died in a road accident.

Several agencies, including the RSPB, RSPCA, Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Yorkshire Dales National Park, were brought together at Harrogate Police station by wildlife liaison officer, PC John McPartlan, to discuss more effective ways of clamping down on the problem and sharing information.

"This meeting was called at very short notice and the fact that every organisation involved in the investigations had a representative present, shows how seriously we all view the problem," said PC McPartlan.

"We are now in a position to consolidate all of our best practices so that past and future investigations can be more focused on where the problem really is, and to minimise the loss of valuable information and intelligence due to the lack of communication between the agencies," he said.

All the organisations involved have formed a group, Yorkshire Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime.

A second meeting of the organisation is to be called to encourage further co-operation in stamping out indiscriminate poisoning, and the British Association of Shooting and Conservation (BASC), the National Gamekeepers Association and the Countryside Alliance have signed up to the organisation.

Stuart Scull, of the BASC, said: "The BASC condemns those engaged in the illegal killing of wildlife. A wide range of legal, humane methods are available, and all those engaged in pest control should be familiar with them and the law relating to their use.

"Many landowners with sporting estates are actively involved in red kite reintroduction programmes around the country, and the mindless killing of some of the red kites released in Yorkshire will only serve to damage the reputations of those engaged in lawful pest control," he said.

"Everyone has a duty to care for wildlife and the environment and it is to them we appeal," said PC McPartlan.