According to the Ross-shire Journal 20 May 2011, Northern Constabulary are investigating the possible poisoning of a buzzard found dead in May. Discovered by a dog-walker near Dundonnell, Wester Ross on 14 May 2011, the carcass was covered in dead insects. Dead insects on a carcass are often an indication of the presence of a poisonous substance. The buzzard has been sent for toxic analysis.
Thanks to the contributor who sent this in.
Grampian Police are appealing for information after a shot peregrine had to be destroyed. The badly injured falcon was discovered in woodlands at the Pass of Ballater in the Cairngorms National Park on 27 April by a dog walker. Tests showed the bird had been wounded by a shotgun, with the pellets causing a serious fracture to its right leg.
Force Wildlife Crime Officer Dave MacKinnon says ” I am appealing for anyone, particularly in the upper Deeside area, who may have information as to who is responsible for shooting this protected bird. It is an absolute disgrace that anyone thinks they have justification for shooting a rare and specially protected bird.
There are a few known peregrine nest sites in the Ballater area. These birds like to nest on cliffs hence the reason for them choosing to trying to live and breed in upper Deeside.
This latest incident of raptor persecution in Grampian clearly indicates that some people are still prepared to break the law risking a custodial sentence, the reputation of their employers, their livelihoods and their right to possess firearms.”
This statement hints that the finger of suspicion might be pointing at someone who works in the shooting industry, perhaps on a shooting estate. The Pass of Ballatar runs through land owned by Invercauld Estate, according to a well-known geographical resource. However, this bird wasn’t neccessarily shot at the Pass of Ballater, it was just found injured there. It could have been shot somewhere else nearby – there are several other well-known shooting estates in this area close to Ballatar whose employees have also previously been convicted of wildlife crime.
Anyone with information should call Grampian Police on 0845 600 5700.
BBC news story here
More details here
When will this end? Yet another poisoned buzzard has been discovered in Scotland, and has tested positive for the banned pesticides Carbofuran and Aldicarb, according to government scientists at SASA.
Northern Constabulary have put out a carefully-worded press statement, saying the poisoned bird was retreived ‘from hill ground near Bridge of Brown”, which is on the A939 road between Grantown on Spey and Tomintoul, inside the Cairngorms National Park. They do not say when the buzzard was discovered, nor who owns the land where it was discovered. The culture of secrecy surrounding criminal raptor persecution continues.
You will not be surprised to learn that there is a prominent sporting estate that covers ‘hill ground near the Bridge of Brown’, although of course, their proximity to the incident does not imply they are responsible for this incident – no, no, no, its obviously an unhappy geographical coincidence. Northern Constabulary are investigating so no doubt the real criminals will soon be uncovered and brought to justice.
Thank goodness our government took such a tough line against the raptor persecutors during the last parliamentary session, eh? Otherwise we’d be seeing more of these incidents on a regular basis….
Northern Constabulary press statement: http://www.northern.police.uk/News-and-Media/news-item.htm?item_id=PR3316_2011
BBC news: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-13544977
An investigation is underway after the discovery of a dead golden eagle found poisoned on the North Glenbuchat Estate in Aberdeenshire. The young eagle, being tracked by satellite, was found dead on 29 March. Tests have confirmed the eagle had been poisoned by Carbofuran. Grampian Police raided the estate yesterday and items have been removed for forensic testing but nobody has been charged as yet. Well done to Grampian Police for publicising this incident.
BBC news story here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-13292307
This is not the first time that North Glenbuchat Estate has been at the centre of a wildlife crime investigation. In July 2006, the head gamekeeper at North Glenbuchat was convicted of three offences: killing a wild bird, possession of birds’ eggs, and possession of a proscribed pesticide under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. The head keeper, who had been employed at the estate for 30 years, was fined £850 (see here).
So, here we go again. Another year, another golden eagle found poisoned on a Scottish sporting estate, despite the rhetoric of the SRPBA and the SGA that this is a ‘rare’ event and they’re doing their best to put a stop to it. These continuing persecution incidents are nothing short of bloody outrageous.
Following blog posts on 6, 7 and 11 April….
The name of the Perthshire sporting estate raided by Tayside Police earlier this month, following the discovery of poisoned buzzards and poisoned bait in March 2011, has been recently reported on the raptor study group website as Edradynate Estate.
Described by Tayside Police Wildlife Crime Officer Alan Stewart in 2005, “Edradynate Estate, which is owned by an absentee landlord from Hampshire, has probably the worst record in Scotland for poisoning incidents, going back more than a decade. In 14 separate incidents since 1998, 16 poisoned victims (nine buzzards, a cat, a tawny owl, two sparrowhawks, a common gull, a polecat and a crow) and 12 poisoned baits (rabbits, woodpigeons and a pheasant) have been found, with traces of the pesticides mevinphos, carbofuran and alphachloralose”.
His comments were made after the collapse of a trial concerning two gamekeepers from the estate, who were charged with various offences involving the alleged poisoning and trapping of birds of prey. The case was dropped by the Procurator Fiscal, reportedly because of the time taken for the case to be heard. Full story here: http://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/legaleagle43_tcm9-132966.pdf
Since his comments, there have been more discoveries of poisoned birds on this estate, and public denials in the media of any involvement by estate gamekeepers, who claim the dead birds must have been ‘planted’ by someone else. Nobody has ever been convicted for wildlife crime offences on this estate and still the poisoning continues. Let’s hope that Tayside Police are able to detect the perpetrator(s) of the most recent poisoning incident.
Interestingly, it is also reported on the raptor study group website that Edradynate Estate is believed to be a member of the SRPBA and that at least one gamekeeper is a self-confessed member of the SGA. This is difficult to verify though as, conveniently, neither group publicises the names of their members. Both of these groups have made many public statements about how they deplore illegal raptor persecution and how they are working hard to eradicate it. They are both also members of PAW Scotland. It was reported last year that the CEO of the SRPBA paid a visit to Edradynate Estate – perhaps to apply some much needed ‘peer pressure’. If he did, then he is to be congratulated for his efforts, although judging by recent events it would appear that peer pressure was unsuccessful. Or perhaps it was successful, and the latest deaths were attributable to those pesky carcass planters – you know, the ones who have never been seen or heard but who are managing to plant poisoned birds on sporting estates up and down the country…
Two concerned members of the public have offered a £1,000 reward for information leading to a prosecution in the Motherwell peregrine poisoning incident that took place in February.
Two peregrines were killed after being poisoned with the highly toxic (and illegal) chemical strychnine, and their bodies were discovered just yards from a primary school in Motherwell. See blog post 16 March 2011 for details.
The Scottish SPCA, leading the investigation, have been unable to trace the person responsible, and it is hoped the reward will now act as an incentive for someone to come forward with new information.
SSPCA press release: http://www.scottishspca.org/news/588_reward-for-falcon-poisonings
Thanks to the contributor in France who sent us this link.
Tayside Police have released a statement about the raid on a Scottish sporting estate that took place yesterday, following the discovery three weeks ago of two poisoned buzzards and poisoned bait. A 62 year old man was taken in for questioning but has been released pending further enquiries.
Tayside Police statement: http://www.tayside.police.uk/default.aspx.locid-013new0k6.Lang-EN.htm
Police have raided a well-known sporting estate in Scotland and at least one man has been questioned at the police station. Further details cannot be reported just now but will be publicised in due course. Let’s just say this estate is no stranger to allegations of raptor persecution…let’s hope justice is finally served.
Full credit to the police for this one.
A recent spate of poisoning has been reported at Fullarton Woods, Troon, Ayrshire over the last month, apparently resulting in the death of one dog, one fox and possibly two buzzards. A second dog was poisoned but survived. Strathclyde Police are reported to have launched an investigation.
The first incident was reported in the Troon Times on 1 March 2011 and the Ayrshire Birding Forum on 2 March 2011. Rabbit baits laced with poison were discovered in Fullarton Woods on the Fullarton Estate (this is not a sporting estate – it is a public amenity run by South Ayrshire Council that includes a play-park for children). A local resident’s dog was poisoned but made a recovery. Two dead buzzards were apparently discovered, although it has not been confirmed if they had been poisoned.
Troon Times: http://www.troontimes.com/news/troon/articles/2011/03/01/410725-beware-poisoned-carcasses-left-in-troon-woods/
Ayrshire Birding Forum: http://www.ayrshire-birding.org.uk/
On 22 March 2011, Troon Times reported the death of a two-year old golden retriever and linked it to the discovery of a poisoned fox in Fullarton Woods: http://www.troontimes.com/news/troon/articles/2011/03/22/411384-more-animals-poisoned-in-woods/
Two dead peregrines were found at the same location in Motherwell, near Glasgow, on two consecutive days in February. Tests revealed they had both been poisoned by strychnine. Strychnine is a banned pesticide, outlawed in the UK since September 2006 by the EU’s Biocide Directive, which states that it can no longer be sold or stored in the UK. Strychnine causes muscle spasms and violent seizures, acute pain and respiratory difficulties before death.
The first dead body was found at the foot of the high-rise block of flats called Coursington Tower, Motherwell, on February 15 2011. The second body was found in the same place the following day. This location is just a few metres away from a primary school and it is fortunate that the bodies were not picked up or handled by passing school children. Strychnine poisoning can be fatal in humans after absorption, inhalation or swallowing.
Interesting to note that the location where the bodies were found is also within a couple of miles of a racing pigeon club. Although the racing pigeon community does not have such a bad record as the gamekeeping community for raptor persecution, they do have a track record and peregrines are one of their well-publicised targets for hatred.
Well done to the SSPCA for taking the lead on this investigation. Anyone with information about this incident should call in confidence to the SSPCA helpline: 03000 999 999.
News story here: http://news.stv.tv/scotland/west-central/235697-falcons-poisoned-in-motherwell-with-banned-pesticide/
Raptor Persecution UK 