In May 2024, Police Scotland issued an appeal for information after the discovery of a dead osprey called ‘Laddie’, the famous breeding male from the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Loch of the Lowes Reserve in Perthshire (see here).
Criminality had been suspected initially but a few weeks later the police announced that criminality still hadn’t been established but they were awaiting the results of a post mortem to confirm (see here).
Yesterday Police Scotland (Tayside) issued the following statement on Facebook:
“Following extensive enquiries on the remains of an osprey found near Dunkeld, Perth and Kinross, on Friday, 3 May, 2024, no criminality has been established.
It is believed the protected species, which is thought to have been nesting at Loch of the Lowes, close to where it was found, died from natural causes“.
Further detail has been published by the Scottish Wildlife Trust:
“The post mortem has revealed that the male osprey died of bleeding from stomach ulcers. There was no indication of lead or any other poisoning; evidently, old age played its part. We think he was at least 15 years old” (see here for more info).
Raptor Persecution UK 
Thank you for letting us know what Laddie (LM12) died from. It is a relief that there was no foul play but still very upsetting that he died from a health problem which may have caused him pain. He will always be remembered and his sky dancing was a legend. Bless you Laddie.
Sad of course but good to hear it was natural causes. I saw ‘Lady’ a few times but not ‘Laddie’ – unless unknowingly, when he was in another part of the country. To me the police were right to be pro-active and make a quick appeal, even at the risk of some people feigning heartfelt offence at the very notion it was though to be a shooting / persecution case. Hope they continue to put appeals out quickly in that wider area for any other potentially suspicious deaths of various species. If they want an ID of a person or a vehicle, they have to be bold enough to ask as soon as possible, or it’s a waste of time.