Birds of prey killings 'shameful high'

Published on Tuesday 25 August 2009 22:22

A SEA eagle, red kites and buzzards were illegally poisoned in Scotland last year as crimes against birds of prey remained "unacceptably high", the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Scotland said.

The charity today reveals a "catalogue of shame" detailing how birds of prey have been poisoned or shot over the past year.

Unveiling its 15th annual report on illegal killings, the charity warned that crimes against protected species in 2008 were having a serious impact on their populations.

Victims of poisoning included a sea eagle, two red kites, 14 buzzards and three ravens. In addition, 42 illegally set poisoned baits were found in Scotland's countryside. They had the potential to kill many other birds of prey as well as posing a lethal risk to pets and even humans.

Five buzzards and a red kite were found shot, and peregrines and hen harriers disappeared in circumstances that "strongly suggested human interference", the RSPB said.

The killings were concentrated around so-called hotspots on the east coast, where much of the land is given over to grouse and pheasants. The problems were worst in Perth and Kinross, where there were 18 reported incidents, and in the Scottish Borders, where there were 15.

The report also details four further cases of individuals being involved in the possession of pesticides suspected to be for an illegal purpose.

Duncan Orr-Ewing, head of species and land management for RSPB Scotland, said:

"The Scottish Government is implementing a review of wildlife crime in 2008, which made recommendations to improve the prevention, detection and enforcement of wildlife crime. Crime against birds of prey is now recognised as one of the police's national wildlife crime priorities.

"We support the recommendation that there should be a full-time wildlife crime officer in every Scottish police force, building on existing good practice in some Scottish forces."

Rural affairs and environment secretary Richard Lochhead said: "Even one incident of deliberate poisoning would be too many. It is shameful that some of our most iconic species continue to face illegal persecution.

"We will continue working closely with RSPB Scotland and other organisations involved in the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime in Scotland to tackle this threat. The illegal persecution of Scotland's bird life is unacceptable, tarnishes our reputation and must be stopped."

The RSPB stresses that most landowners and their employees in Scotland act within the law. However, the report adds: "A number of individuals persist with the outdated practice of illegal killing of birds of prey."

The majority of bird deaths were discovered by chance, by hillwalkers, birdwatchers, dog-walkers and other members of the public.

As most bird-of-prey killing takes place in remote areas where direct witnesses or evidence is rare, the RSPB fears the incidents recorded in 2008 are just the tip of the iceberg.

Bob Elliot, head of investigations for RSPB Scotland, told The Scotsman: "We are very reliant on members of the public contacting us or the police if they suspect an incident has taken place. There is so much more of this going on than we can detect or know of."

The RSPB report for England showed the two worst counties for all reported incidents against birds of prey were North Yorkshire, where 24 were recorded, and Derbyshire, with 14.

DEADLY BAIT LACED WITH PESTICIDE

CHARITY officials and Tayside Police officers found 32 cubes of venison and a mountain hare laced with deadly pesticides during a land search last May.

The bait was discovered several days after a white-tailed eagle was found poisoned by pesticides in Angus. A poisoned buzzard was also found.

Rabbit, stoat or pigeon bait is laced with pesticides such as carbofuran, a banned substance described by RSPB wardens as the "poison of choice" because it featured in 22 of the 28 incidents confirmed in 2008.

Alphachloralose is available in low concentrations in rodenticide products, approved only for killing mice.

It was used in six of the incidents recorded by the RSPB.