Illegal poisoning of raptors continues to cause significant welfare harm and population impacts across Europe and beyond, and coordinated anti-poison campaigns are making progress.
Raptor poisoning causes acutely distressing deaths - the neurological and hemorrhagic effects of commonly used poisons are not instantaneous and involve significant suffering before death. The targeted nature of raptor poisoning - often deliberately placed to kill birds perceived as threats to game or livestock - means that successful prosecution and cultural change within land management communities are both necessary for progress. Satellite tracking data has transformed the legal landscape by providing evidence of poisoning sites.