Campaigners in the Yorkshire Dales have launched a petition to improve protections for birds of prey due to a surge in illegal killings. The Friends of the Dales charity is urging the government to strengthen sentencing guidelines for those convicted of killing a bird of prey. The RSPB estimates that more than 1,300 protected birds were killed in a 15-year period from 2009. The group also supports plans to introduce licensing for the gamebird shooting industry. The petition also includes a national database of wildlife crime and a stricter approach to law.