Bird Poisonings: Record number of illegal killings last year say RSPB Scotland. Pic: © STV
A record number of birds of prey were killed by illegal poisoning in Scotland last year, threatening some species, a new report has claimed.
Last year 46 poisoning cases were confirmed by Scottish Government testing, the highest number in two decades, according to the RSPB Scotland report.
The victims included 21 buzzards, four red kites, two golden eagles and also a white-tailed eagle which had been gifted to Scotland from Norway as part of a reintroduction programme. There were also nine incidents of illegal killings through shooting, nest destruction or the use of spring traps.
The RSPB warned that illegal killing can have "dire" consequences for the bird of prey populations, as many raptors are long-lived and have slow breeding rates. The charity called for a range of measures to improve detection of such crimes and prosecution of the perpetrators.
Duncan Orr-Ewing, RSPB Scotland Head of Species and Land Management, said: "We are lucky enough in Scotland to have some of the world's most majestic species of birds of prey, but unfortunately a significant number of people continue to break the law and undermine the recovery of their populations.
"This activity threatens other countryside industries such as tourism and undermines Scotland's reputation internationally."
The birds were killed by baits laced with highly toxic and illegal poisons, which also claimed the lives of five domestic cats last year.
Many of the incidents of illegal killings were discovered in remote areas of countryside, mainly in southern, central and north-east Scotland and the Western Isles.
The report said the while the majority of landowners and their employees act responsibly and within the law, a "significant number" of individuals or estates persist with the "outdated practice" of illegal killing of birds of prey.
It said that the crimes recorded last year were "the tip of a significant iceberg" as the chances of an incident being found are small, and that of a suspect being identified and charged remote.
Substantial areas of suitable habitat in Scotland are currently unoccupied by breeding birds of prey as a direct result of such illegal activity, the report said.
Mr Orr-Ewing said: "We will continue to work with the many responsible landowners and welcome the recent initiative by over 200 Scottish estates, who have publicly condemned wildlife crime, and who have called for robust enforcement action against the perpetrators.
"All estates now need to provide tangible evidence that they are taking positive action on the ground to safeguard protected species and giving firm instruction to their employees to obey the law."
The report proposed a range of measures to address the problems such as full-time wildlife crime officers for each police force, a review of penalties available to the courts for wildlife crime and specialist environmental fiscals to prosecute such offences.
Between 2003 and 2008, 24 cases involving illegal poison use and other offences targeting raptors came before the courts, with a guilty verdict returned for at least one charge in 21 of these.
Earlier this week the Scottish and Irish Governments confirmed they would collaborate on ways to tackle the poisoning of birds of prey.
Environment minister Roseanna Cunningham has written to her counterpart in Dublin, John Gormley, calling for talks to address the problem in both countries.
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