The latest figures detailing illegal animal poisoning incidents in the first quarter of 2011 have just been released by Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) on behalf of the Scottish Government.
The figures cover the period January to March 2011, and show that criminal raptor poisoning incidents were detected in each of the three months. They include 3 buzzards, 1 golden eagle, 1 red kite and 2 peregrines. Poisoning incidents were widespread, taking place across Scotland, including in the Borders, Strathclyde, Tayside, Grampian and the Highlands. The illegal poisons used included Carbofuran, Chloralose and Strychnine. So much for the game-shooting industry’s self-regulation. I guess 2011 will not be the year they ‘stamp out’ illegal raptor persecution.
Not for the first time, two of the five recorded incidents were apparently unpublicised in the media: 1 x buzzard poisoned with Carbofuran in the Borders in January 2011, and 1 x red kite poisoned with Chloralose in the Highland region in February 2011.
SASA poisoning figures for period Jan – Mar 2011 available here
Raptor Persecution UK 
Re non publication of incidents – there are still those involved in the “authorities” who believe that playing all this down and being nice to the poisoners and their apologists will somehow make them stop…it wont. Straightforward unbiassed policing and court action on a level playing field just might.
Annoying to see so much readily available rodenticides in the analyses. I am particularly concerned about the inclusion of Brodifacoum which only has approval for use ‘indoors’ !
Many of these incidents show that there is a wide use of general rat poison. Even the RSPB use it! The sad thing is that it so open to abuse. I saw a report some where where it said because rats were eating high concentrations of cattle food full of phosphates and potassium that it was making them less prone to the poison! So the answer is to use even higher dosses of the stuff. Even the RSPB should be running tests on efficient ways of trapping rats and mice humanely. I visited a farm this week where the cattle food was just left in an open barn ready for rats and mice to enjoy. Of course the farm would have been covered in poison .The Barn Owl box above the food was empty. I wonder why!!