Wildlife

Raptor Recovery and Welfare After Persecution

Birds of prey in the UK face ongoing illegal persecution that harms individual welfare and threatens population recovery.

Key Facts

Red kites were extinct in England and Scotland by the 20th century but have been successfully reintroduced
Hen harriers are functionally extinct as a breeding species in England due to persecution
Satellite-tagged raptors frequently disappear over grouse moors in suspicious circumstances
The RSPB Birdcrime report documents raptor persecution incidents annually
Reintroduced ospreys, white-tailed eagles, and red kites demonstrate successful recovery when persecution stops

Welfare Considerations

Illegal raptor persecution causes immense individual suffering. Poisoning causes prolonged death through neurological disruption or haemorrhage. Trapping causes injuries and stress. The welfare of individual raptors killed through persecution is a direct concern, but so is the population-level effect of suppressing entire species below viable breeding thresholds. Effective enforcement of wildlife crime law is both a conservation and animal welfare imperative.

What You Can Do

Report suspected raptor persecution to the RSPB Wildlife Crime unit
Support campaigns for mandatory camera surveillance on all driven grouse moors
Oppose driven grouse shooting which is associated with the majority of raptor persecution
Support the raptor persecution priority delivery group and wildlife crime priorities
Learn about the recovery of reintroduced raptors and what makes it possible