Ten days ago we blogged about the progress (or apparent lack of) being made in the Ross-shire Massacre case, four months on from the discovery of 22 dead raptors in one of Scotland’s worst raptor poisoning incidents (see here).
A couple of days ago, somebody told us that the ‘official’ number of birds confirmed poisoned was now 16 (12 red kites + 4 buzzards), according to Police Scotland.
We found this news intriguing. Did it mean that the remaining six carcasses (4 red kites + 2 buzzards) had not been poisoned?
No. What it turned out to mean was that toxicology tests on those remaining birds are still “continuing”, according to a news report in The Press and Journal (see here).
Still continuing, four months after discovery? Is that because the poison is proving difficult to detect, or is it because the tests have not been given priority? If not, why not?
What a shambles. And that’s only the start of it…..
Previous posts on the Ross-shire Massacre here
Raptor Persecution UK 
This just underlines the fact that legal protection for raptors (as for other wildlife) is not worth the paper it’s written on. I perceive a remarkable contrast between the way illegal killing of raptors is treated and the way illegal killing of fish is treated/reported – I presume this is because fisheries normally belong to wealthy landowners who have the money/influence/time/political clout to make a fuss. The other implications of this don’t escape me either!
Yes, the leniency offered to gamekeeping and landowning criminals is a world away to that of the poacher.
http://news.stv.tv/north/271601-poacher-pensioner-jailed-for-refusing-to-obey-43-year-ban-from-river-don/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-17030704
I remember reading an article in recent weeks, centred on this man’s continuing appeal to get the ban lifted in order to take his grandchildren for riverside walks, but can’t find anything on the web.
So yes we live in one of the most corrupt countries on the planet (probably the most corrupt), where laws are relaxed or completely ignored for the wealthy, the upper classes and their enterprises, but given strict imposition for the lower classes.
More people should help themselves to all those surplus gamebirds reared on an industrial scale across the UK.
I was talking to a RSPB volunteer about this today, asking if there was any unofficial news, and she stated that the perpetrator of this crime is suspected, but unfortunately there isn’t sufficient prove to bring charges.
Yes, Chris, it looks like the old pals act has worked wonders again for the criminal element.
Did we really expect anything different? The police, the so-called Scottish justice system and the Scottish Minister for Environment and Climate Change have made it only too clear that they don’t give a damn about Raptor persecution and upholding the wildlife protection laws. The fact is you could easily be excused for thinking that even if they don’t actually condone the illegal killing of protected wildlife, they don’t really see it as a true crime and ignore it hoping that it will soon blow over and go away; well I can tell them this, IT WON’T UNTIL THEY DO SOMETHING TO PUT A STOP TO IT.
I have mentioned our buzzards (or lack off) previously. Between Aviemore and Inverness it used to be quite common to see several Buzzards in a day, however, this last couple of years they have been absent form our skies. Does anyone know why?
I have heard that they are being systematically shot, and the lack of them, seems to bear this out.
The fossilised remains of a pterodactyl have been found in southern Scotland, the dinosaur skeleton had two broken legs, Scottish Gamekeepers association immediately released a statement claiming that whilst the skeleton had been found on a Grouse moor none of their members were responsible and it totally condoned the persecution of dinosaurs, the pterodactyl could have glided some distance before finally succumbing to its injuries, they also said they would be holding their own investigations into the incident. Police Scotland refused to comment on the matter as it was part of an ongoing investigation and they had known about the incident for several millennia, a press release for information from anyone noticing anything suspicious in the area was already in the pipe line. SLE claimed pterodactyls were currently flourishing in the area and quite a few had recently colonised the loch ness region. The Moorland ASS produced a map showing that pterodactyls actually benefited from Grouse moors.
The rest of the world stood back in disbelief!
I suppose it’s only fitting that the Pterodactyl was persecuted on a grouse moor, after all the grouse shooting estates are run by prehistoric dinosaurs many of which are in an advanced state of fossilisation.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the “suspect” is local and stays on or near the road up to xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx.Your local xxxxxxx lives in this area and the Police will never refuse ” a cup of tea ” from the local xxxxxx It must be a really nice ” cup of tea” unlike the people (?) who condone these cowardly acts.You must be right chuffed with yourselves.
[Ed: Thanks for your comment. It has had to be partly edited as it implicates a number of people who could be identified by someone with local knowledge]
like most of these things I suspect they need to follow the money.