Wildlife Crime in Scotland 2024

Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA): Chemistry Branch

The Chemistry Branch at SASA investigates suspected animal poisoning incidents as part of the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme. SASA provides data on the total number of incidents investigated, the number of those incidents attributed to pesticides and the number of incidents considered to be abuse. Pesticide use is considered to be abuse where it is used in breach of authorisation conditions with the deliberate intent of harming wildlife or other animals.

Data in this section are presented up to 2024-25.

In general, a small proportion of incidents investigated are considered to be abuse.
Figure 10: suspected animal poisoning incidents investigated by SASA Chemistry Branch: 2019-20 to 2024-25.

In the six-year period 2019-20 to 2024-25 the number of pesticide incidents investigated has ranged from 141 to 217. In general, the percentage of incidents considered to be abuse was low, ranging from 1% to 9%. Of the three incidents considered to be abuse in 2024-25, all three involved birds of prey (three red kites).

Three birds of prey poisonings in 2024-25 were identified.
Figure 11: bird of prey poisonings investigated by the SASA Chemistry Branch, 2019-20 to 2024-25.

Since 2020-21, the number of bird of prey poisoning incidents investigated by the SASA Chemistry Branch has remained relatively low, ranging from zero to three incidents per year. The SASA Chemistry Branch reported that 21 birds of prey were found to have been poisoned in 17 incidents over the six-year period 2019-20 to 2024-25. The majority of birds were red kites (14), followed by peregrine falcons (3) and buzzards (2). One golden eagle and one white-tailed eagle were found to have been poisoned.

Further detail: see Tables 29 and 30 of the supporting documents for information on pesticide incidents investigated by the SASA Chemistry Branch.