Category: Persecution Incidents in Irish Republic

Red kite and buzzard poisoned in Ireland

Meanwhile, back in the real world, an article in the Wicklow People yesterday says that a red kite and a buzzard have been found poisoned in County Wicklow, Ireland.

The red kite was found by a member of the public and handed in to the National Parks and Wildlife Service headquarters at  Wicklow Mountains National Park. It was sent to the State Veterinary Laboratories at Cellbridge where it was confirmed it had been poisoned. The article does not say when this happened, nor does it name the poison used. [Update: we have since been informed by the Golden Eagle Trust that alphachloralose was used in both incidents].

A buzzard was reportedly found in the same area and the article states it was poisoned with Alphachloralose.

Red kites have been recently reintroduced as part of a pioneering project to bring back native raptors to Ireland. The Golden Eagle Trust has been reintroducing red kites, as well as golden eagles and white-tailed eagles. Part of their project has included a high-level campaign to raise awareness about the use of poisoned baits.

Article in the Wicklow People here

Golden Eagle Trust website here

More raptor poisonings in Ireland

Two young buzzards and a sparrowhawk have been illegally poisoned in Ireland. The bait this time? Live pigeons, that were smeared with the banned pesticide Carbofuran, tethered to the ground with wire with their wings clipped.

These disgraceful events were discovered last month near Roscrea, close to the Offaly and Tipperary border. Two young volunteers from the BirdWatch Ireland Raptor Conservation Project were alerted to the scene by a local farmer. They tell the story here, illustrated with some pretty graphic photographs.

How many more of these disgusting incidents have to be reported before there is a crackdown? Whether it be Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland or Wales. IT HAS TO BE STOPPED!

Thank you to the contributor who sent us this link.

Another sea eagle poisoned in the Irish Republic

Just when you thought that 2010 couldn’t get any worse for reports of poisoned eagles, we hear that yet another sea eagle has been killed in Kerry, Republic of Ireland.

This young female, only released into Ireland in the summer as part of the re-introduction scheme, is the 9th eagle since 2007  to be illegally killed in Ireland. This one was poisoned in a notorious sheep-farming area known locally as The Reeks, where another eagle had been previously shot.

The poisoning is despite strict legislation banning poisoned bait to control foxes, introduced in October after an outcry by conservation groups and representatives in Norway (who have donated the eagles for release) over the recent spate of poisonings in Ireland.

The police are investigating and are understood to be following a definite line of enquiry. Sounds familiar? Sounds like another soundbite to me – no doubt that this eagle’s killer will never be brought to justice, just like all the other eagle killers in Ireland and Scotland – nobody has ever been convicted of killing one of these magnificent creatures. Why is that? Perhaps John Scott MSP was right – perhaps they are all just imaginary crimes….

Full news story from the Irish Times: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/1222/breaking37.html

Scottish golden eagle poisoned in Ireland

A young golden eagle, just a few months old, has been poisoned and killed by the illegal pesticide Carbofuran in Ireland. The young bird was born in the Outer Hebrides earlier this summer, and was donated to the Irish golden eagle reintroduction project, where it was released in August 2010. It was found dead on 1st November 2010, aged 5 months old. Tests revealed it was killed by Carbofuran. Police are investigating.

This brings the total known eagle deaths resulting from illegal poisoning in the British Isles this year to TEN (4 golden eagles & 1 sea eagle in Scotland, and 3 sea eagles & 2 golden eagle in Ireland). Take note, John Scott MSP – is this what you call imaginary?

WHEN IS THIS GOING TO STOP?

Full news story here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-11937623

Irish government finally bans poisons used to kill raptors

This 3 yr old sea eagle was poisoned in Ireland earlier this year

New regulations came into force in the Irish Republic yesterday, finally banning the use of all poisons for pest control, apart from those used for rats and mice.

This has been a long time coming, and full credit should be given to The Golden Eagle Trust, who have long campaigned for this ban as they try to re-introduce the golden eagle, white-tailed eagle and red kite to their former ranges across the country.

Whilst the ban will not stop poisoning incidents (look at the continued number of poisoning incidents in Scotland and England where the ban has been in force for several years), it does send a clear message from the Irish government that they wish to address the issue of illegal raptor persecution. Kudos to them for taking this important step.

At least 12 re-introduced raptors have been killed by poison in Ireland this year alone, including golden eagles, sea eagles and red kites. Both the Scottish and Norwegian governments, who licence the capture of eagles in their countries for release in Ireland, have expressed grave concern at the poisonings, and failure to tackle the problem could result in the governments withdrawing their co-operation. This is quite a laughable position for the Scottish government to take, given their complete inability to effectively address raptor persecution in this country. So far, at least. They do have a chance to make significant improvements with the forthcoming WaNE bill, but the bill is still only in Stage 1 of the legislation process so there’s a long way to go yet.

A side-benefit of the new Irish legislation may be in reducing the amount of illegal poison that arrives in Scotland each year, believed to be smuggled in from Ireland where, prior to the new legislation, poison could be bought legally. Clearly it will take some time for all the poison currently in circulation in Ireland to be disposed of, but the long-term view is optimistic.

For the news story click here: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/ban-for-poison-used-to-kill-birds-of-prey-2383731.html

The Golden Eagle Trust website here: http://www.goldeneagle.ie/

more sea eagles set for release in Ireland despite poison fears

Project Manager Dr Allan Mee with two poisoned sea eagles

The Norwegian authorities have cautiously agreed to provide Ireland with 20 more white-tailed sea eagles later this month, despite the on-going poisoning that threatens the viability of the project.

So far, 14 of the 55 sea eagles given by Norway to Ireland as part of the re-introduction project have been found dead, and at least 7 of these were confirmed to have been poisoned. Earlier this year, 3 sea eagles were found poisoned in County Kerry in the space of just four weeks. All had fallen victim to eating poisoned baits.

The Golden Eagle Trust (the organisation leading the re-introduction effort on white-tailed eagles, golden eagles and red kites) believe that the majority of sheep farmers in the region are supportive of the project, but that a small minority of landowners are still laying out poisoned baits that are having such a devastating effect.

Full story: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/poison-fear-wont-halt-the-release-of-20-eagles-2210414.html

Golden Eagle Trust website: http://www.goldeneagle.ie/

third dead sea eagle in a month – latest poisoning event in Ireland

Project Manager Dr Allan Mee examines the carcass with the schoolchildren who found it

A third white-tailed sea eagle has been found poisoned in the space of one month in Ireland. The latest victim was found by schoolchildren on a kayaking trip in Kerry, within one kilometre of  the other two poisoning incidents. It is suspected that farmers in this area are placing sheep carcasses laced with poison to kill the eagles.

When will these stupid, selfish bastards stop? Probably not until the penalties for raptor persecution are increased substantially.

Full story: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/uk-ireland/sea-eagles-killed-by-poisoning-14804830.html

spate of recent poisonings kills eagles, kites, buzzards & peregrine

One of the dead white-tailed sea eagles undergoing post mortem

A disgraceful spate of recent poisonings in Ireland has resulted in the death of 2 white-tailed sea eagles, 1 golden eagle, 3 red kites, 3 buzzards and a peregrine.

The sea eagles were poisoned by the illegal pesticide carbofuran. The golden eagle, kites, buzzards and peregrine were killed by alphachloralose, a pesticide still manufactured and legally available in Ireland.

Police investigations are underway.

For the full sorry story: http://www.goldeneagle.ie/news_viewnews.php?x=6&z=132&news_id=11&article=267

Call to control poison in Ireland after more red kite deaths

Another poisoned red kite

Pressure to control the poison Alphachloralose, available over the counter in Ireland, is intensifying following the poisoning of two more red kites in County Wicklow. The young birds were part of an Irish reintroduction project and had only been released in July 2009.

Alphachloralose has been used to kill red kites, golden eagles and white-tailed eagles across Ireland in recent years. The Golden Eagle Trust, a local NGO attempting to re-introduce all three species back to ireland, have lodged a formal complaint with the European Commission over the State’s failure to protect the birds.

Full story: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0329/1224267276974.html

Golden Eagle Trust website: http://www.goldeneagle.ie/

Eight buzzards killed in suspected poisonings

Irish Times May 6th 2009. Eight buzzards have been killed in suspected poisoning incidents in the northeast in the last two months. The National Parks Wildlife Service (NPWS) said yesterday it was investigating the discovery of buzzard carcasses on farmlands in north Dublin, Louth and Meath.

The broad-winged birds of prey have only recently re-established themselves in Ireland after becoming extinct in the early 20th century through poisoning and hunting. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0506/1224245993542.html