Appeal for information from Police Scotland (10th October 2024)
APPEAL FOLLOWING DEATH OF PEREGRINE FALCON IN ANGUS
Wildlife officers are appealing for information following the death of a peregrine falcon in the Angus area.
On Tuesday, 3 September, 2024, the injured bird was found in distress by a member of the public in the Glen Esk area near to Tarfside. The SSPCA was called, and the bird taken to the wildlife resource centre in Fishcross for treatment. Due to the severity of the injuries, the bird had to be euthanised on Wednesday, 11 September, 2024.
Following further investigations, it was established that it had been shot and police were contacted.
Constable Craig Savage, Wildlife Crime Officer, said: “Peregrine falcons are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act and it is illegal to kill any protected species.
“Since this matter was reported to police, we have been carrying out enquiries and working with our partner agencies to establish the full circumstances.
“We would appeal to anyone with any information that may assist our investigation to please contact us. Your information could be vital in in establishing what has happened. If you were in the Glen Esk area around Tuesday, 3 September and saw anything suspicious or have any information about shooting activity in the area, please come forward.
“Anyone with information is urged to contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting reference CR/0368615/24.”
ENDS
RSPB has responded with this:
Ian Thomson, RSPB Scotland’s Head of Investigations said “The news of this crime comes only a few weeks after an Osprey was shot in an adjacent glen [Ed: see here] but hearing about ongoing raptor persecution incidents in the Angus Glens will come as no surprise to anyone with an interest in the fortunes of Scotland’s birds of prey.
There has been a catalogue of cases of poisoning, shooting and illegal trap use in this area dating back decades. As with many previous cases, there will be very few people in the local area who have the motivation, access, requisite firearms and opportunity to shoot and fatally injure one of our most iconic bird of prey species.
We trust that if this latest crime is found to be linked to local grouse moor management, that NatureScot utilise the powers give to them by the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill to impose the most robust sanctions possible.”
ENDS
I’ll comment on this case shortly, in relation to Scotland’s new grouse moor licensing scheme.
Raptor Persecution UK 
“We trust that if this latest crime is found to be linked to local grouse moor management, that NatureScot utilise the powers give to them by the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill to impose the most robust sanctions possible”
But the law is not yet in force (as far as I know).
Hi Keith,
This part of the Act is very much in force and has been since the beginning of the grouse-shooting season on 12 Aug 2024.
Thanks for putting me right…
No doubt every Gamekeeper in the land is innocent of this crime, due to their status as protectors of the landowners game birds. Moneyed people will not be satisfied until they have annialated every wild creature on the planet.
Ban shooting. Grouse, Pheasants, Duck, the lot. We need reform of upland and moorland management in the UK anyway.
See http://www.earthandleaf.org
Ban everything cruel that involves abuse of mother nature I wish we could bring back hanging it’s all these evil greedy sods deserve.
It is a 100% certainty that the crime was committed by a paid employed person xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx.
they seem to always seem to be above the law and get off with their crimes.
I have said many times before, the only way to bring these crimes to s dead stop is to close the 2 nearest shooters to the area where the bird was found and fine them £250,000 each and closevthem down for 18 months.
this will send them a message they are not beyond the law and xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
So ignorant, absolute moron who did this, I despise this , terrible act,
the comments so far made are in my mind totally correct,the perpetrator of all these crimes are paid by the titled and not so titled landowners, who because of their status will get away with these crimes, as society is scared to stand up to them.
I wish the bodies that are trying to do their best in protecting the raptors in this country be given more powers to shut down the estates until the perpetrators are put forward for punishment like 5 years prison and their paymasters 1million pounds fine, perhaps that will make them think next time that nature has the right to live in harmony with humans.
Well said Brian everyone I’m absolutely gutted I can’t bear to read these posts it is beyond comprehension these estates need to be closed for shooting but these cruel twisted backwards wastes of a skin are above law and order money rules. Despair runs through me .
Is there any idea of the exact location the peregrine was found?