The red kite (Milvus milvus) is Wales's iconic raptor and one of the UK's greatest conservation success stories, recovering from a remnant Welsh population of fewer than 30 birds to over 10,000 individuals across Britain. But illegal poisoning continues to be the primary cause of non-natural red kite mortality.
Red kites poisoned by carbofuran — a carbamate insecticide banned since 2001 — experience violent convulsions, extreme pain, and death within hours. Secondary poisoning from rodenticides causes prolonged internal bleeding and weakness before death. Post-mortem surveillance by Cardiff University and the RSPCA confirms that poisoning remains the leading cause of recorded unnatural red kite mortality. The welfare impact extends beyond individual birds: established breeding pairs disrupted by poisoning of one partner often abandon established territories. Legal deterrence — prosecution and conviction of wildlife crime offenders — combined with public reporting is the most effective welfare intervention available.