Ospreys were extinct as UK breeding birds for most of the twentieth century but have recovered through legal protection and reintroduction programmes. Their welfare depends on protection from illegal persecution.
Each osprey that returns from Africa and successfully breeds represents a significant conservation and welfare success. Each bird that is shot, has its nest disturbed, or is caught in fishing gear represents a welfare failure and criminal act. The osprey's remarkable recovery demonstrates that with legal protection and habitat management, wildlife populations can recover from near-extinction — but this progress can be reversed by illegal persecution.