Tower of London is running out of ravens as Historic Palaces say shortage risks 'prophecy coming true'

It is said that the Kingdom of England will fall if less than six ravens are kept in the Tower of London.

According to King Charles II’s infamous decree, if the birds leave the site, then its White Tower will crumble and the country will be plunged into chaos.

Now, in order to make sure "the prophecy will never come to pass" , the tower will build its own breeding aviary to ensure that the current ravens survive.

There are fears surrounding the seven ravens who live at the tower - Jubilee, Harris, Gripp, Rocky, Erin, Poppy and Merlina- as  the animals breeding prospects have been cast into doubt.

Historic Royal Palaces has been granted planning permission by Tower Hamlets Council for the aviary in an effort to avert the “raven crisis” which has seen the birds numbers steadily decline in the UK.

Faced with a shortage of legal breeders to supplement their number, the tourist attraction hopes to protect its precious flock with the enclosure due to be built next year.

It would be 12m long, 5m wide and 3.5m high and located in the moat next to the Salt Tower.

In a report submitted to the council, Historic Royal Palaces warned it was becoming "increasingly difficult" to source the birds because "there are very few legal captive raven breeders in the UK".

The report says: “The Tower of London comes under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which states clearly that we should not resupply ... from birds in the wild as done in years gone by. The Tower of London will use this opportunity as an educational tool showing the brilliance of nature and nurture.”

Ravens were once common in Britain, but after being decimated by Victorian gamekeepers there are now only 7,400 protected breeding pairs left.

A recent petition against new government powers that allow farmers across Dorset to legally cull ravens has gained traction , as the birds were blamed for the slaughter of hundreds of lambs and piglets.

The birds first gained notoriety as ‘spotters’ for enemy planes during the Blitz , and Winston Churchill made sure for their flock be increased from just a single raven guard at the tower to a minimum of six afterwards.

However, are now more commonly known for their intelligence and ability to mimic sounds, play games and solve problems.

The tower’s breeding programme will be overseen by the Ravenmaster, Chris Skaife, who feeds his charges 170g of raw meat a day - including mice, chicks, rats and, as a treat, blood-soaked biscuits.

Breeding pairs must have their own territory, and so cannot share the Tower’s current enclosure.

An RSPCA spokeswoman said: "We're hopeful that the ravens will be cared for at the highest standard and that the British Crown and the country are safe for the foreseeable future."