Raptor Persecution UK

Outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) at gamebird rearing farm in North Yorkshire An outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) was confirmed yesterday at a large gamebird rearing farm in North Yorkshire. A 3km Protection Zone and a 10km Surveillance Zone have been…

Outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) at large gamebird rearing farm in North Yorkshire ☠️

New blog ⬇️

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/03/04/o...

Thank you, Verity.

Thank you for your support.

RPUK blog reaches 16th birthday and passes 13 million views Today marks 16 years since this blog started and it has recently passed 13 million views. Thanks, as ever, to everyone who follows the blog and supports its aims. Particular thanks to the generous …

Raptor Persecution UK blog reaches 16th birthday and passes 13 million views.

Thanks to everyone who follows the blog & supports its aims 🙏

#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime 🌍

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/03/03/r...

NatureScot reinstates use of General Licences on Raeshaw Estate during appeal process On 10 February 2026, NatureScot imposed a three-year General Licence restriction on Raeshaw Estate in the Scottish Borders (and on neighbouring Watherston Wood, which is understood to be under sepa…

NatureScot reinstates use of General Licences on Raeshaw Estate during appeal process.

New blog ⬇️

#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime 🌍

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/03/03/n...

Thanks, Alan. Looking forward to your new book.

Some commentary on the murder conviction of ex-Head Gamekeeper David Campbell Two days ago, a jury at the High Court in Glasgow returned a guilty verdict in the trial of former Head Gamekeeper David Campbell, 77, who had been accused of murdering his ex-colleague from Edrady…

Some commentary on the murder conviction of ex-Head Gamekeeper David Campbell.

#RaptorResearch

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/02/27/s...

Goshawk shot in Derbyshire – police appeal for information Derbyshire Police’s Rural Crime Team has issued an appeal for information after the discovery of a critically-injured Goshawk, which had to be euthanised due to the extent of its injuries. Th…

Goshawk shot in Derbyshire - police appeal for information.

#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime 🌍

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/02/26/g...

Sentencing remarks & statement from Police Scotland after conviction of gamekeeper David Campbell for shotgun murder of ex-colleague Further to yesterday’s news that David Campbell, 77, the former Head Gamekeeper of Edradynate Estate in Perthshire was convicted of the shotgun murder of his former estate colleague, Brain Lo…

Sentencing remarks & statement from Police Scotland after conviction of gamekeeper David Campbell for shotgun murder of ex-colleague Brian Low ⚖️

#RaptorResearch

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/02/26/s...

Scottish gamekeeper David Campbell found guilty of murdering ex-colleague from Edradynate Estate, Perthshire BREAKING NEWS….. After a 13-day trial at the High Court in Glasgow, David Campbell, 77, the former Head Gamekeeper on Edradynate Estate in Perthshire, has been found guilty of murdering his f…

Retired gamekeeper David Campbell guilty of murdering ex-colleague Brian Low, with whom he worked on the Edradynate Estate. This estate was one of the worst for raptor persecution.

Lots to say about this one... glad they finally got him ⚖️

#RaptorResearch

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/02/25/s...

Help Stop the Criminal Killing of Birds of Prey Despite more than 70 years of full legal protection, raptor persecution remains a serious and persistent wildlife crime. The Yorkshire Dales is one of the UK’s worst-affected areas, with 152 confirmed...

I just signed a @theactionnetwork.bsky.social petition: Help Stop the Criminal Killing of Birds of Prey. Sign here: actionnetwork.org/petitions/he...

Three reforms to stop the criminal killing of birds of prey – new petition to UK Minister from Friends of the Dales A new petition has been launched calling on the UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Mary Creagh MP) to bring in legal reform to help stop the illegal persecution of birds of prey. The petiti…

We can only hope that the government gets behind these reforms - neither costly nor rocket science to bring about....

Three reforms to stop the criminal killing of birds of prey - new petition to UK Minister from Friends of the Dales raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/02/19/t...

Help Stop the Criminal Killing of Birds of Prey Despite more than 70 years of full legal protection, raptor persecution remains a serious and persistent wildlife crime. The Yorkshire Dales is one of the UK’s worst-affected areas, with 152 confirmed...

If you’d like to see an end to the wanton killing of our birds of prey, then sign this. I have: @theactionnetwork.bsky.social

actionnetwork.org/petitions/he...

Sign it everyone! This legal reform is needed.

Please consider signing this petition to stop raptor persecution criminality.

Three reforms to stop the criminal killing of birds of prey – new petition to UK Minister from Friends of the Dales A new petition has been launched calling on the UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Mary Creagh MP) to bring in legal reform to help stop the illegal persecution of birds of prey. The petiti…

Three legal reforms to stop the criminal killing of birds of prey - new petition to UK Minister from @friendsofthedales.bsky.social

Details & link to petition in blog 🔽

#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime 🌍

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/02/19/t...

Convictions for raptor persecution “must be the tip of the iceberg”, admits BASC chief Further to this morning’s blog about BASC’s acting chief exec Christopher Graffius urging his members to stop killing raptors (here), here’s some more detail. The Times article ha…

Sorry to hear of the passing of Christopher Graffius, former Director of Comms at BASC. One of the few in the shooting world leadership to stick his neck on the line & acknowledge the continued illegal persecution of raptors on gamebird shooting estates.

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2017/11/02/c...

Give this amazing guy a boost to do more for streets kids & urban wildlife in Nairobi: vote at vote.eaya.africa (wildlife conservation award)
#birds #kenya

Raeshaw Estate claims General Licence restriction “wholly unjustified” & intends to appeal Following yesterday’s news that NatureScot has imposed a(nother) three-year General Licence restriction on Raeshaw Estate in south Scotland (here), based on evidence provided by Police Scotla…

General Licence restriction imposed in relation to shooting of Golden Eagle 'Merrick'. Raeshaw Estate claims this is "wholly unjustified" & says it will appeal the decision.

Statement from estate & commentary from me 🔽

#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/02/11/r...

Agreed. And whoever shot her, sneaked up on her whilst she was sleeping in a tree. Who kills a sleeping Golden Eagle, ffs?

Three-year General Licence restriction imposed on Raeshaw Estate (again), this time relating to shooting of Golden Eagle ‘Merrick’ NatureScot has today announced a three-year General Licence restriction on Raeshaw Estate (and on neighbouring Watherston Wood, which is understood to be under separate management to Raeshaw), in r…

Three-year General Licence restriction imposed on Raeshaw Estate (again), this time relating to the shooting of Golden Eagle Merrick.

Statement from NatureScot & commentary from me ⬇️

#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime 🌍

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/02/10/t...

More commentary on the sentencing of Yorkshire Dales gamekeeper Racster Dingwall Racster Dingwall, the now former Head Gamekeeper on Conistone and Grassington Estate in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, pleaded guilty at York Magistrates’ Court last month to conspiring t…

MORE commentary on the sentencing of Yorkshire Dales gamekeeper Racster Dingwall ⚖️

Pertinent points made by the Northern England Raptor Forum (NERF), representing raptor fieldworkers.

#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime 🌍

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/02/10/m...

It's more of the same. Nothing changes, despite requests for it to do so. Pathetic. @snp.org

The feeble way successive governments have barely wrung their hands at constant crime against wildlife has emboldened these psychotic criminals to keep on committing these horrendous acts of barbarity. Only when tougher punishments are handed down will we see a change

Golden Eagle found shot in Scottish Borders – Police Scotland appeals for information Press release from Police Scotland (9 February 2026) APPEAL AFTER GOLDEN EAGLE SHOT IN THE SCOTTISH BORDERS Wildlife officers are appealing to the public for information after a four-year-old golde…

Golden Eagle found shot in the Scottish Borders - Police Scotland appeals for information.

'Hamlet' is the sixth victim of eagle persecution in south Scotland in recent years.

Details in blog ⬇️

#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime #BirdingScotland 🌍

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/02/09/g...

Amazing work by @jeanwildlife.bsky.social

Moorland Association lodges appeal against recent High Court decision to refuse judicial review of Defra’s peatland burning regulations A couple of weeks ago, the High Court threw out the Moorland Association’s legal challenge against Defra’s new burning regulations, which further restrict the areas of peatland that can…

Moorland Association (grouse moor owners' lobby group in England) lodges appeal against recent High Court decision to refuse judicial review of Defra's peatland burning regulations ⚖️🔥

Looks like someone's got grouse moors & money to burn!

Legal summary 🔽

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/02/08/m...

Shot Buzzard found nr Wigginton, York Raptor rehabilitation expert Jean Thorpe posted on social media yesterday about an injured Buzzard that was found grounded near Wigginton, York. The Buzzard was taken to Battle Flatts Veterinary Cl…

Shot Buzzard found nr Wigginton, York. Currently in the expert care of @jeanwildlife.bsky.social

North Yorkshire living up to its reputation as the worst county in England for illegal raptor persecution.

#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/02/08/s...

Yorkshire Dales Moorland Group in desperate attempt to divert attention away from conviction of Yorkshire Dales gamekeeper Racster Dingwall The Yorkshire Dales Moorland Group (YDMG) is undertaking a major damage limitation exercise this week following the widespread media coverage of the recent conviction of Yorkshire Dales gamekeeper …

Yorkshire Dales Moorland Group in desperate attempt to divert attention away from conviction of Yorkshire Dales gamekeeper Racster Dingwall.

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/02/07/y...

Murder trial due to begin: former Head Gamekeeper David Campbell of Edradynate Estate accused of killing ex-colleague with shotgun A long-awaited murder trial is expected to get underway this coming week at the High Court in Glasgow. David Campbell, 76, the former Head Gamekeeper at Edradynate Estate near Aberfeldy, Perthshire…

Murder trial due to begin: former Head Gamekeeper David Campbell of Edradynate Estate (Perthshire, Scotland) accused of killing ex-colleague Brian Low with a shotgun.

NB: Comments turned off as criminal proceedings are live ⚖️

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/02/01/m...