Birds of prey are particularly vulnerable to both primary and secondary poisoning from pesticides and rodenticides used in agriculture, causing widespread illegal and legal wildlife mortality.
Raptor poisoning causes some of the most prolonged and severe suffering of any wildlife welfare issue in agricultural landscapes. Anticoagulant poisoning causes uncontrolled internal bleeding over days, with affected birds showing neurological signs and weakness before death. Carbofuran poisoning causes rapid onset convulsions. Raptors are apex predators that aggregate environmental toxins from contaminated prey, making them particularly vulnerable to secondary poisoning even when exposed only to sublethal doses that impair reproduction and immunity over time. The illegal targeting of protected raptors on shooting estates represents a deliberate and ongoing welfare crisis that requires stronger enforcement and cultural change within the game management sector.