An injured Osprey was rescued close to the River Dunbeath in Caithness on Monday 13 September. The rescue was undertaken by the local SSPCA Inspector who took the bird to be treated by a local vet. However the Osprey died as a result of its’ injury, which the Police say the result of a deliberate act. Northern Constabulary are working in partnership with the SSPCA and the RSPB in order to conduct enquiries into this incident. Caithness Wildlife Crime Officer, PC Cailean Macleod commented ” any persons with any information regarding who is responsible for committing this crime, or where…

A new report by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) reveals that Scotland’s seabird numbers appear to be levelling off, after a steady period of decline since 2000. Between 1986 and 2009, the number of seabirds in Scotland has fluctuated, but declined overall by 28 percent. Now, a recent study confirms that overall numbers may have stabilised since 2007. The decrease was likely due to food shortages, weather conditions and predation by non-native species such as brown rats and mink. A likely major cause was a drop in the number of small fish, such as sandeels, which are an important food source…

Police in Badenoch are appealing for any information from members of the public as they investigate the suspected poisoning of birds of prey in the area following the discovery of two dead buzzards at the weekend. A member of the public, who was shooting at an estate in the Badenoch area, found a dead buzzard and alerted the police. A search of the area resulted in the later discovery of a second dead bird. Tests will be carried out on both birds to establish the exact cause of death and whether or not they were poisoned. Police are urging anyone…