PICKING wildflowers, such as bluebells and primroses, in Northern Ireland is a crime - and you could be prosecuted.
A new campaign tackling wildlife crime - including uprooting wild flowers - has been launched in a bid to protect native Northern Ireland animals, birds and vegetation.
The 'Watch Out for Wildlife Crime' initiative was launched in Crawfordsburn Country Park by the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW NI) and Environment Minister, Mark H Durkan.
From January to July this year, 186 wildlife crimes were committed in the north - 69 more than the previous year when out of 8,665 animal-related incidents reported to police, 117 were established as actual 'crimes'.
"The problem has been that the general public, although keen to report wildlife under threat, are not always aware of what actually constitutes a crime, so education and raising awareness is a key part of the new campaign," said a spokeswoman for PAW, an umbrella organisation comprising a mix of statutory and voluntary groups.
Poaching, illegal use of trapping methods and disturbance of seals, basking sharks and bats are also covered by protection legislation as well as distubrance of nesting birds to the seemingly innocuous activity of uprooting wild flowers.
"At the top end of the scale we have real animal suffering such as when deer suffers a long and agonising death after accidentally falling into an illegal trap meant for another animal," the spokeswoman added.
"It is encouraging that more people are reporting crimes as many of Northern Ireland's protected species are under increasing threat."
Environment Minister Mark H. Durkan, said it was important to educate people who inadvertently cause harm to wildlife, as well as those involved in "extreme forms of criminality".
PSNI rural and wildlife crime superintendent, Brian Kee said that anyone who intentionally "killed, injured or disturbed protected wild animals or wild flowers are criminals and deserve to be brought to justice".
