The osprey (Pandion haliaetus) returned to Scotland in 1954 after a 50-year absence and has expanded to over 300 breeding pairs by 2026. Despite conservation success, ongoing threats from fish hook entanglement, illegal persecution, and nest disturbance continue to cause preventable welfare harm.
Ospreys entangled in fishing line or hooked on baited lines experience prolonged struggling, wing injury, and drowning. Birds that become hooked in the foot or wing and survive to reach shore may sustain permanent joint damage preventing future hunting. Illegal persecution — shooting adults, destroying nests, or poisoning bait near nest sites — causes direct mortality and nest failure. Disturbance of nesting ospreys by photographers approaching too closely causes nest abandonment, losing entire breeding attempts. RSPB nest protection programs at Loch Garten and other sites have been central to osprey recovery but require ongoing investment.