Gardaí and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) have joined forces to target illegal hunting in Co. Kildare.

A joint operation was carried out on Sunday (January 25) in response to ongoing reports of unlawful hunting, trespass, and the illegal targeting of protected wildlife, contrary to the Wildlife Acts.

According to gardaí, the operation focused on rural and farming communities most impacted by this activity.

Illegal hunting

During the operation, a number of high-visibility checkpoints were established by community gardaí across mid and south Kildare, alongside joint patrols at known locations associated with unlawful hunting.

In a social media post, gardaí said that "illegal hunting has a serious and damaging impact on local biodiversity and conservation, with the potential to cause localised extinctions of protected and iconic species such as the Irish Hare".

"These activities are often linked with other offences, including trespass and criminal damage, which can cause significant distress within rural communities," the post added.

Gardaí and the NPWS said they "remain committed to protecting wildlife, supporting landowners, and tackling unlawful activity".

Anyone with information in relation to illegal hunting is encouraged to contact their local garda station.