Illegal Wildlife Poisoning: Welfare and Ecology

Illegal poisoning of wildlife including raptors and predatory mammals causes intense suffering and has population-level conservation impacts; enforcement and deterrence are ongoing challenges.

Key Facts

Carbofuran, banned for agricultural use, continues to be used to poison raptors in the UK
Secondary poisoning through eating poisoned carrion kills birds of prey including red kites and white-tailed eagles
Anticoagulant rodenticide poisoning of barn owls is widespread and often sublethally affects survivors
Wildlife crime conviction rates are low due to difficulties with evidence collection

Welfare Considerations

Poisoning causes slow, agonising death through various mechanisms depending on the agent — anticoagulants cause internal bleeding, organophosphates cause convulsions, and specific wildlife poisons like alphachloralose cause sedation-to-death over hours. The welfare suffering of poisoned wildlife is severe and prolonged. Secondary poisoning through the food chain means that well-meaning rodent control using anticoagulant poisons can cause unintended welfare harm to barn owls and other raptors without any criminal intent.

What You Can Do

Report suspected wildlife poisoning to the RSPB, police wildlife crime unit, or relevant authority
Choose wildlife-safe rodent control methods that avoid anticoagulant secondary poisoning risk
Support Wildlife Crime Officer posts through advocacy for adequate law enforcement resourcing