Tag: poisoning

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

Gamekeeper guilty of killing buzzard on Blakehope Estate, Scottish Borders

A Scottish Borders gamekeeper was convicted of killing a buzzard, setting a poisoned bait and possessing 3 proscribed pesticides on 25 October 2005.

The gamekeeper (name removed under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974) at Blakehope Estate in the Borders pleaded guilty at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on 14 December 2006 to five offences under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981.

He was sentenced to 100 hours community service.

Readers could be forgiven for thinking Sheriff Woody had left Toy Story for a day’s work at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

Poisoner on Isle of Lewis given pathetic £50 fine

The poisoned golden eagle found on Lewis in July 2005, killed by Carbofuran

An Isle of Lewis crofter was convicted of possessing Carbofuran at his home on 25 November 2005. At Stornoway Sheriff Court on 26 July 2006, John Mackenzie pleaded guilty to possession of a proscribed pesticide under Section 15(A) of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. He was fined just £50.

A staggeringly pathetic fine, hot on the heels of the discovery of a dead golden eagle found on Lewis in July 2005 that had been poisoned with Carbofuran.

Two gamekeepers guilty of poisoning offences on Oxnam Estate, Jedburgh

Two Scottish Borders gamekeepers were convicted of possessing proscribed pesticides at Oxnam Estate, Jedburgh, on 22 June 2005.

At Jedburgh Sheriff Court on 14 May 2006, Gamekeeper A (name removed under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974) pleaded guilty to possession of Cymag and Carbofuran, for he which he was respectively fined £100 and admonished.

Gamekeeper B (name removed under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974) pleaded guilty to possession of Carbofuran and was fined £100.

These were all offences under Section 15(A) of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. A fitting punishment and a strong deterrent? The scales of justice seem a wee bit unbalanced.

Gamekeeper convicted of crimes on Innes House Estate, Moray

Police raided Innes House Estate near Elgin, Moray in November 2006 after dying buzzards and crows were seen in a nearby field. Later laboratory testing confirmed the birds carried traces of Carbofuran.

At Elgin Sheriff Court on 30 April 2007, head gamekeeper Michael Royan was found guilty of possessing proscribed pesticides (Carbofuran, Cymag & Alphachloralose) and he was also convicted of a firearms offence. He was fined £1,000.

According to the 2010 Innes House Estate website, Michael Royan is still employed as Head Gamekeeper.

Gamekeeper convicted of poisoning offences on North Glenbuchat Estate, Aberdeenshire

 At Aberdeen Sheriff Court on 12 July 2006, the head gamekeeper on the North Glenbuchat Estate, Strathdon, Aberdeenshire, was found guilty of three offences: killing a wild bird, possession of birds’ eggs, and possession of a proscribed pesticide under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981.

The 56 year old head keeper, Hector McNeil, of Whitehillock, Glenbuchat, had worked as a gamekeeper on the Estate for 30 years. He was fined £850.

The RSPB claimed this was one of many cases but a spokesman for the Scottish Gamekeepers Association had said the case was not typical of the profession.

 

 

gamekeeper not guilty of poisoning on Clova Estate, Aberdeenshire

At Aberdeen Sheriff Court in 2007, a 34 year old gamekeeper of Lumsden, Huntley, was accused of killing a peregrine at Clova Estate, Huntley, Aberdeenshire in October/November 2006. He was also accused of having a bottle of poison at his home address and at Tomatin Estate (Invernesshire), and further accused of having an illegal pesticide (Carbofuran) in his possession at his home address and elsewhere.

After long court delays, in early 2009 he was found not guilty of a charge under Section 15(A) of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981.

“Map of Shame” doesn’t say anything new

Map of Shame 2004-2008

In January 2009, the Scottish government released its ‘Map of Shame’ showing confirmed poisoning incidents between 2004-2008. The map, using data from the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency (SASA), was hailed as a “significant step” in the fight against wildlife crime as it showed the scale of raptor persecution.

In reality, the map doesn’t tell us anything new at all. The RSPB has been producing these maps for years; the difference with this one is that for the first time, the Scottish Rural Property & Business Association (SRPBA) which represents landowners, agreed to its contents.

The map locates 88 incidents in which raptors were poisoned over the previous 5 years, including iconic species such as the golden eagle, white-tailed sea eagle, red kite, buzzard, tawny owl and peregrine.

http://news.scotsman.com/birdsofprey/Bird-of-prey-poisoning-map.4864489.jp

What the map fails to tell us is the name of the shooting estates involved. What is the point of providing such a vague map? There is no point, other than to confirm what was already known – raptor persecution incidents are widespread across Scotland. If the SRPBA is as committed to stamping out wildlife crime as it claims it is, why wouldn’t it take every opportunity to name and shame those known to be involved?

It is not just wildlife-interest groups that are asking for the estates to be named. In September 2009, MSP Sarah Boyack (Scottish Labour) called for the government to name and shame the offending estates and said taking steps to reduce the number of incidents of wild raptors being shot and poisoned was a “matter of urgency”. http://news.stv.tv/scotland/121040-msp-name-and-shame-bird-killers/

The government is due to release the official 2009 raptor poisoning figures shortly….

2 sea eagles poisoned in ireland

BBC News 21st Feb. 2008 An attempt to reintroduce one of the world’s largest birds of prey into Ireland has suffered a setback.   

Fifteen white-tailed eagles were brought from Norway to the Killarney National Park in Kerry last June.

Two were found dead on Monday. Toxicology tests for poison are being carried out on them. (see footnote)

One bird was found beside a dead sheep, which is also being analysed. The National Parks and Wildlife Service in Kerry is investigating the matter.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7256420.stm

A few days later the two white-tailed sea eagles were confirmed as having been poisoned.

osprey, golden eagle & buzzards illegally killed in 1993

According to the Hansard Report April 2004 (Hansard is the edited verbatim report of proceedings in UK parliament), the following illegal raptor persecution incidents were recorded in 1993:

Lothian Estate (nr Jedburgh, Scottish Borders) – 1 x osprey shot.

Aberarder Estate (Strathnairn, Inverness-shire) – 1 x golden eagle killed by Carbofuran.

Gledfield Estate (nr Ardgay, Sutherland) – 1 x buzzard killed by Chloralose.

South Balkeith Farm (Tain, Ross-shire) – multiple buzzards killed by Carbofuran.

Glenberg Estate (Speyside) – 1 x buzzard killed by Chloralose.

Ralia Estate (by Newtonmore, Inverness-shire) – 1 x buzzard killed by Chloralose.

Woodall Estate (Airdrie, North Lanarkshire) – 1 x buzzard killed by Chloralose.

Carruth Estate (Strathclyde) – 1 x buzzard killed by Chloralose.

Farleyer Estate (Aberfeldy, Perthshire) – 1 x buzzard killed by Carbofuran.

Loansfold & Blindswell Farms (Perthshire) – 1 x buzzard killed by Chloralose.

This report was published in the days when the government publicised the names of the Estates where illegal raptor persecution incidents had been recorded. Shame they don’t do that anymore – you have to wonder why? The Hansard report documenting these and other persecution incidents, can be read here: http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/written_answers/1994/apr/28/bird-killing