Wildlife crime unit's success

A SCOTTISH-BASED police task force set up to co-ordinate a UK-wide crackdown on wildlife crime has seen convictions more than double over the past year.

The UK National Wildlife Crime Unit annual report reveals there were 115 convictions in 2009-10 compared with 51 the previous year. It seized more than 400,000 worth of animals and products intended for sale.

The police-led unit, based in Livingston, was formed in 2006 to prevent wildlife crime and gather intelligence on those involved in the killing or trade in endangered species.