Are the raptor poisoners in Scotland changing their bait? Maybe they are, according to an article published in the Guardian on Wednesday:
Rat poisons are posing a significant threat to wild animals because they are being misused or even deliberately abused to target birds of prey, wildlife experts fear.
Figures published on Wednesday on wildlife poisoning in Scotland identify legally available rodenticides as the cause of death of 15 birds of prey, including nine red kites and three sparrowhawks, and six mammals, including two dogs and a cat.
At least one case, where six red kite chicks were killed by extremely high levels of rat poison, has been identified as “suspicious” by the Scottish government’s testing laboratory. Several chicks were seen bleeding from their beaks before death.
The laboratory, Science and advice for Scottish agriculture (SASA), also said that it had detected rodenticide traces in 38% of the 214 dead animal livers it tested last year, with 32 buzzards, 17 red kites and 10 sparrowhawks testing positive. Kites and buzzards are scavengers, so will prey on dead or poisoned rats, but SASA believes its data suggests that rodenticides are now extremely widespread in the foodchain.
One of the chemicals found repeatedly by SASA is only licensed for indoor use [Brodifacoum]. Mike Taylor, head of pesticides and wildlife at SASA, said: “We’ve certainly got evidence of widespread exposure and it’s of concern, but it’s very difficult to enforce because it’s very difficult to collect dead or dying rats [to study].”
Alex Hogg, chairman of the Scottish Gamekeepers Association is reported as saying he had never been aware of rodenticides being used to deliberately target birds of prey.
To read the full article in the Guardian, including quotes from the National Farmers Union Scotland and the RSPB, click here.
To download the advisory leaflet, ‘Rat Poison and the Threat to Wildlife’, click here.
Raptor Persecution UK 
obviously again these figures will be a drop in the ocean.
2 dogs are mentioned in the report but even these will only be the ones given a post mortem. My own young apparently nuclear bomb proof scruffy mongrel died suddenly over a matter of 4 days-could not believe rapid deterioration but had close relative dying at same time far from home and by time dog taken to vet rred blood cell count virtually unrecordable.Put down by vet as I had to be 100 miles away seeing consultant re my relative’s terminal care as next of kin.A few days before dog had refused to come out of edge of field and I knew he must have had some food-I had seen a dead hawk lying below its favorite post nearby just a few months before. Neither of these deaths were reported-did not know about this agency-(I could not face my wee dog being cut up)-though I wish now I had reported both of them.This was only a quarter mile from edge of Edinburgh, on land owned by recent recipient of £500000 ENVIRONMENTAL EEC grant
Chris, it’s still worth reporting these suspicious incidents even now. The Police National Wildlife Crime Unit has an intelligence database that is used to help build up a picture of suspicious incidents in certain areas. You never know, others may have already reported similar things from this location if the landowner is regularly ‘at it’.
Email – ukwildlifecrime@nwcu.pnn.police.uk
Tel – 01506 833722