An investigation is ongoing after 23 common buzzards were found dead in west Cork in January.

Following a report from a concerned landowner in west Cork in early January this year, NPWS field staff collected 12 dead buzzards, which the landowner had come across in one of his fields, a spokesperson for the Department of Culture told the Irish Farmers Journal. The NPWS falls under the remit of the Department.

Searches

“Subsequent searches of the general area by NPWS located 11 further dead buzzards.

“Testing of the carcases was carried out by the regional veterinary laboratory in Cork, which confirmed that the cause of death was the banned insecticide Carbofuran. The use of Carbofuran products in agriculture has been banned in Ireland since June 2009.

“The chemical had been shown worldwide to be toxic to much wildlife, but particularly toxic to birds. While it is no longer legally available anywhere in Europe, it is known to be illegally procured and used by that minority of people who persecute wildlife, particularly birds of prey,” the spokesperson said.

Investigation

Regional staff of the NPWS launched an “intensive investigation” and gardaí at Bandon Garda Station were also alerted to the incident.

“Subsequent searches of the general area did not result in any further findings of buzzard mortalities, leaving the total recorded mortalities from this incident at 23.

“While the investigation is still ongoing, NPWS’s view is that all of the information and evidence is that this can only have been a case of deliberate poisoning of wildlife.

“NPWS are confident that this incident was not related to any agricultural practices in the area, nor with the landowner,” she said.

Extinct

Buzzards are a species that became extinct in Ireland the late 19th century. Having re-established themselves in Northern Ireland in the 1930s, they have steadily colonised many counties in Ireland.

“Incidents such as this impede this recolonisation and are condemned not only by NPWS, but by the general public that enjoy Ireland's wildlife, including at a time when the awareness and appreciation of the value of our biodiversity is on the increase.

“Buzzards are a protected species under the Wildlife Acts and this deliberate poisoning is an offence under this act,” the NPWS spokesperson warned.

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