Scottish golden eagle populations remain stable in core areas while attempted recolonisation of southern England continues to be suppressed by illegal persecution. 2026 welfare and conservation status reviewed.
Individual golden eagles targeted by persecution in southern areas suffer painful deaths through shooting or poisoning. The systematic nature of persecution in some areas means that this welfare suffering is not random but represents deliberate, repeated welfare crime. Strengthening both enforcement and sentencing for raptor crime is the most direct welfare protection for golden eagles attempting to recolonise England.