The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has issued a press release following confirmation that two ravens found dead in December 2024 had been poisoned.
PSNI press release (3 April 2025):
INVESTIGATION AFTER TWO RAVENS CONFIRMED TO HAVE BEEN FATALLY POISONED
Police in Newry have commenced an investigation after two ravens were confirmed to have been fatally poisoned in Poyntzpass.
Testing determined that the birds, which were found in a field in the Drumbanagher Wall area in December, had consumed high levels of the rodenticide Chloralose, and Bendiocarb, an insecticide and concluded this was likely an abuse case, potentially causing their deaths.
Superintendent Johnston McDowell, the Police Service lead for Wildlife Crime and Animal Welfare, said: “These birds should have been safe in the wild and yet someone has sought to intentionally poison them. This is not the first time we have had reports of this nature in the area and it saddens me that our incredible wildlife and birds are being killed. They are a beautiful asset to our countryside that we should work to protect.
“It’s important that anyone who comes across dead birds, which they believe to have been poisoned, shot, illegally trapped or even taken to sell, that they report their find to PSNI immediately and do not handle them. The poisons being used are deadly not only to birds and wildlife but also to humans and chances should never be taken when potentially dealing with such chemicals.”
The Health and Safety Executive NI, one of the enforcing authorities responsible for Biocidal Product Regulations in Northern Ireland, said: “Where duty-holders are found to have incorrectly used or have misused biocidal products or continue to use or store biocidal products that have been withdrawn from the market, HSENI will take appropriate enforcement action to achieve compliance. This highlights the importance of responsible use of all chemicals including biocidal products.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs said: “Illegal poisoning of birds and wildlife is completely reprehensible. It is an offence to supply, store (be in possession of) and use a Plant Protection Product (PPP, or Pesticide), that has been banned or withdrawn. Further it is an offence to use an authorised PPP in contravention of the conditions and the specific restrictions established by the authorisation and specified on the product label. The penalty, if convicted on summary conviction, is a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or on conviction on indictment, to an unlimited fine.”
Superintendent McDowell added: “Along with our partners we will continue to investigate these crimes and seek to prevent further instances whilst bringing offenders to justice.”
Please report wildlife crime by calling 101. A report can also be made online via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ or you can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/.
If you have any information on this particular incident please quote incident number 723 13/12/25.
ENDS
This isn’t the first time poisoned ravens have been found in Newry. In October 2024 wildlife crime officers ‘visited an estate in Newry to talk to residents and employees about the confirmed poisoning of ravens on two separate occasions‘ (see here, although there are no details about when those two poisoning crimes took place).
It would help if the Department for Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs (DAERA) would get on with updating and implementing stronger pesticide legislation in Northern Ireland. It’s not difficult -they just have to write a list of the banned chemicals and add it to the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985, as amended. This simple measure is widely supported by over 50,000 people who signed the Northern Ireland Raptor Study Group’s recent petition calling for this action.
UPDATE 25 June 2025: Police launch investigation after Red Kite killed in poisoning hotspot (here)
Raptor Persecution UK 
words fail me killing these birds whoever I would hope karma catch up to them for their dirty deeds
Look around you at what is happening. Kids killing innocent birds and wildlife with slingshot and catapults and thinking its cool to post on Tick Tock. Prosecutions and punishments zero for kids generally and for those who shoot and their “gamekeepers” who I could spit on. We need a lot more than Karma to stop this. A really serious multi-thousands of pounds fine which HAS to be paid by the individual concerned no matter who they are, and xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx is long over due to be enforced. There needs to be serious punishment for any kind of cruelty to any innocent wild and domesticated animal and also for the wildlife and protected birds. Words mean nothing, it needs action and not from mealy mouths, but those who know and who care.
Its worth noting that Drumbanagher is one of the relatively few estates in Northern Ireland that offers large-bag bird shooting days.
When Police have “the quiet word” with people they may suspect of involvement in killing raptors, their actions have the opposite effect to what they intend. They may think it is grown-up and common sense policing to avoid the fuss and paperwork. It is actually an abdication of their responsibility to act meaningfully. It indicates to the people they speak to that they probably haven’t got the will or the means to investigate properly. The nett result is usually that the offenders now know there is potential for some scrutiny and that they need to tighten up their game a bit – play a bit more savvy for the long term.