A protected bird of prey found dead in a ditch had been shot and then glued to a bamboo stick, police have said. The sparrowhawk, which had been killed with a pellet gun, was dumped in a drainage ditch inside a plastic bag in Thorne, near Doncaster. It was discovered by a member of the […]

Police have carried out searches at several locations this week (27 May 2022) in connection with suspected raptor persecution and poisoning of birds of prey.  Officers from Durham and Northumbria attended the addresses across the two force areas following information received from the public.  Suspicious substances were seized from some of the locations and taken […]

Police have advised dog walkers to keep their pets on a lead in a forest in case they are poisoned. Dorset Police said a dead buzzard was found in the Ashmore area of Dorset, though its cause of death is yet to be determined. The poisoning of three white-tailed eagles was also investigated by police earlier this […]

Officers are appealing for information after a protected bird of prey was found shot in woodland at Mominail, near Ladybank, Fife. The dead buzzard was found by a member of the public in the morning of Sunday, 9 April, 2022. Wildlife crime liaison officer, Detective Constable Ben Pacholek, said: “It is sad and disappointed to […]

Wild birds are nesting and the national campaign to protect them across the UK is underway. Egg thieves will go to any lengths to raid the nests of rare wild birds but Operation EASTER is determined to stop them in their tracks. Operation EASTER was developed in Scotland 25 years ago. The operation is now […]

  POLICE are investigating the “unexplained death” of a goshawk that was discovered in Powys. The bird of prey was found dead in the Brecon area on Sunday, April 10, 2022 said Dyfed Powys Police. “The bird has been recovered by the Rural Crime Team (RCT), who are investigating the unexplained death of a goshawk […]

The birds of prey were found in Renfrewshire in April 2022 just a week apart and authorities are investigating after suspicions were raised. The SSPCA said they suspect that two birds of prey have been shot dead in the space of a week. A firearm was confirmed as being used in one of the Sparrowhawk’s […]

A wild peregrine falcon found badly injured after being illegally trapped and shot has been put down. Suffolk Police said the bird of prey was discovered by a member of the public in a field in Cratfield on 15 March and taken to the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary at Stonham Barns. It said the injuries, including […]

Four men have been charged in connection with wildlife crime offences in Dumfries and Galloway. The suspects, aged 59, 52, 46 and 31, were arrested in the Stewartry area of the region, police confirmed on Thursday. The arrests come amid ongoing investigations into reports of persecution against protected birds of prey and wildlife in Parton, […]