Golden Eagle Welfare and Conservation 2025: Scotland Update
A 2025 update on golden eagle welfare and conservation in Scotland, including persecution, satellite tagging, and population recovery challenges.
Key Facts
Golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) remain at approximately 500 breeding pairs in Scotland — recovery has been slower than expected due to continued illegal persecution on grouse moors.
Illegal persecution of golden eagles is documented through satellite tag disappearances — a disproportionate rate of tag failures in grouse moor areas compared to other habitats indicates deliberate killing.
Poisoning (carbofuran, alphachloralose), trapping, and shooting remain the primary persecution methods — carbofuran causes agonizing death and is a Schedule 12 prohibited substance.
Golden eagles shot or poisoned experience significant suffering before death — persecution-related deaths are welfare events as well as conservation crimes.
Recovery in central and southern Scotland has been facilitated by satellite-tagged reintroductions — young eagles dispersing from strongholds face the highest persecution risk.
The campaign for vicarious liability legislation — making landowners/employers legally responsible for persecution crimes by employees — has achieved progress in Scotland and is being pushed in England.
The RSPB Investigations Unit works with police wildlife crime officers to investigate eagle persecution — forensic evidence from satellite tag recovery has supported successful prosecutions.
Welfare Considerations
Golden eagle persecution is an ongoing welfare and conservation crime. Every poisoned or shot eagle suffers before death. Support RSPB Investigations, advocate for vicarious liability legislation in England, and report any suspected eagle persecution immediately. The golden eagle's recovery depends on enforcement and cultural change on land managed for driven grouse shooting.
What You Can Do
Support the RSPB Investigations Unit and their eagle persecution prosecution work
Advocate for vicarious liability legislation in England making landowners responsible for persecution crimes
Report any suspected golden eagle persecution to the police wildlife crime unit and RSPB
Support Wild Justice and Raptor Persecution UK in their advocacy and legal challenges around driven grouse moor management