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Tuesday, 23 July, 2002, 15:16 GMT 16:16 UK
Police house birds of prey
The peregrine falcon's have been spotted in Wrexham
North Wales Police have landed themselves two new eagle eyed recruits.
A pair of peregrine falcons have taken up residence at Wrexham police station.
The male and female are not thought to be nesting but they have been seen regularly hunting from the roof of the building in the last few weeks. Andrew South from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said the 145 foot high tower is an ideal location for them. "They prefer quarry's or cliff top sites but they are moving into more urban areas. "They nest in Brighton, on top of Salisbury Cathedral and at a power station in London. "It's an ideal opportunity for them to look at their surroundings," he said.
Peregrine falcons have increased in population during the past 20 years. Experts say this is due to the eradication of the use of pesticides. There are believed to be around 1,300 pairs of the birds of prey in the UK. The birds can grown up to 18 inches tall and the female is the bigger and more powerful of the two. Mr South added: "They are one of the fastest flying birds on the planet and have been recorded at 150mph. "They are arguably one of the most exciting birds of prey and now they are in Wrexham," he said. Detective Inspector John Rowlands, who is based in Wrexham, believes the birds could prove very helpful in crime detection. "We should train them to home in on burglars," he said.
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04 Apr 02 | Wales
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09 Jun 02 | N Ireland
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