Osprey death: Protected bird found shot in Scottish national park sparks police appeal

Police have launched an appeal after an osprey was shot in a Scottish national park, leading it to be put down due to the severity of its injuries.

The bird was found on 12 August by a gamekeeper in the Glen Doll area in Angus – part of the Cairngorms National Park – which is home to a range of walking trails and is a popular birdwatching site.

The osprey was visibly in distress, so the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) was called, and the bird was taken to the wildlife resource centre in Fishcross for treatment, Police Scotland said.

However, the bird was euthanised due to the severity of its injuries.

“An animal rescue officer attended and transported the bird, which was unable to fly, to the National Wildlife Rescue Centre. Sadly, due to the severity of its injuries, the bird had to be euthanised,” a spokesman from the SSPCA told The Independent.

After further investigations into the bird’s injuries, X-rays revealed that the osprey had been shot, prompting Police Scotland to be called into the case.

“It’s illegal to kill any protected species, and we’re working with partner agencies to fully investigate the circumstances,” Daniel Crilley, a detective constable with the wildlife crime investigation unit, said.

“Information from the local community is vital and I’d ask anyone who was in the area around 12 August and thinks they may have information which could assist our enquiries to come forward,” he added.

“We’re keen to speak to anyone who may have seen anything suspicious or has information about shooting activity in the area.”

Osprey are not considered endangered on a worldwide level today, but were driven to extinction in most of the UK in the late 19th century due to being hunted, as they were seen as a threat to fish stocks. They have slowly regained their numbers in the past few decades in the UK and have become a protected species.

They are found in several parts of Scotland, one site in Cumbria, two in Wales and one artificially re-colonised site in Anglia. There are around 250 breeding pairs in the UK that produce around 260 chicks a year, the Scottish Wildlife Trust said.

Wildlife authorities in Scotland have condemned the shooting of the bird.

“It’s really disappointing to hear about this case, not least because of the suffering this bird will have endured. All credit to those involved in catching the injured bird and the efforts made, sadly in vain, to try to tend to its injuries,” Ian Thompson, head of investigations at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Scotland, told The Telegraph.

“Although Scotland’s ospreys are doing well, their population is still recovering from a period when they were absent as a breeding species here, largely due to persecution. While it’s rare to hear about such cases these days, obviously, there are still those who have a Victorian attitude towards protected wildlife at large in our countryside.”

Officers are appealing for anyone with information on what happened to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting reference 1671 of 26 August. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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