According to the latest data released by the Scottish government this week, the number of bird of prey poisoning incidents in Scotland decreased significantly over 2012.

image expired

The latest ‘hotspot map’ released by the Scottish government and Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW) on Thursday (14th March) showed that three poisonings were recorded in 2012, in which three animals were killed. Two buzzards and a golden eagle died as a result of poisoning last year, according to the report, which also provided general information on the location of confirmed illegal poisonings and cumulative poisonings from 2008 to 2012.

The figures suggest a dramatic drop from the 10 incidents and 16 birds of prey poisoned in 2011.

Figures covering England and Wales were released by PAW last month. They record nineteen incidents of poisoning in which 30 birds were killed during 2011, the last year for which data is available. Figures covering the same period released last year by PAW and the Scottish government revealed that sixteen birds of prey were poisoned in 2011 in the country; a total of 115 birds were shown to have been poisoned since 2007.

Commenting on the results, Environment Minister and chair of PAW Scotland Paul Wheelhouse said, "I very much welcome the significant reduction in the number of birds of prey poisoned which I hope signals the real change in attitude that is required to end this outdated and cruel practice.

"It is our duty to protect [birds of prey] and I believe that new measures brought in by the Scottish Government over a year ago - which mean that landowners and managers can no longer turn a blind eye to offences against wild birds on their land - are a major deterrent to those who think they are above the law. While it remains frustrating that a small number of people continue to illegally persecute birds of prey, this substantial decline is testament to the good work undertaken by the PAW Scotland partners to tackle the issue of raptor poisoning. There has been real progress but we will not be complacent."

Duncan Orr-Adam, Head of Species and Land Management at RSPB Scotland, added in a joint statement, "Any incident of illegal poisoning of birds of prey is one too many, however these latest figures from SASA represent the most substantial progress on this issue for many years. We are encouraged that these reported and confirmed incidents of illegal poisoning indicate a further decline in cases, building on progress in the figures for the previous two years," though he added, "There will be no let-up in our joint efforts to eradicate illegal poisoning, and all other forms of wildlife crime."     

The Scottish government said on Thursday that maps published by PAW do not show exact location of incidents, in recognition of the fact that birds may travel some distance after exposure to the poison. The map allows for an obscurity factor to avoid any inference being drawn for the exact point of discovery of the bird, but still allows an overview of the worst affected areas.

The government also acknowledged that 'incidents' listed in the data for the maps, which is supplied by Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA), only relate to "confirmed poisoning cases," in which deliberate poisoning of birds has been established as birds' cause of death and, as such, the actual rate of persecution may be higher than figures suggest.

Vicarious Liability, credited by environment minister Paul Wheelhouse as having helped to depress instances of poisoning, was introduced following a Scottish Parliamentary debate on wildlife crime in 2011. The new law is designed to deal with landowners and managers who turn a blind eye to employees committing offences against wild birds on their land. Vicarious liability came into force on 1st January last year.