Thursday 19th September, 2013 A red kite recently discovered in Vartry Reservoir, Roundwood, Co. Wicklow has been confirmed as poisoned. The bird, identified as Blue Red 42 an Irish bred kite, was reported by a concerned dog walker to Birdwatch Ireland who informed the local National Parks and Wildlife Service staff. An investigation into the matter was immediately begun.
A National Parks and Wildlife Service Ranger responded to the incident and located the carcass which lay only a few hundred metres from residential houses and a local pre-school. The bird which appeared in good condition had a mouth and crop full of fresh food, indicating that cause of death was most likely poisoning. The Vartry Reservoir is used for recreational walking and angling and provides drinking water to the southern suburbs of Dublin.
Minister Deenihan said "The Red Kite is a magnificent bird of prey and is protected by law. This poisoning is unacceptable. I know every effort is being made to find those responsible for this incident, and I would call on any person with any information about this matter to contact the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department or An Garda Siochána. The use of this type of poison is strictly limited to the eradication of mice and rats, and should at no time be used in the unacceptably reckless way it was."
Tests were immediately ordered under the bird of prey post-mortem protocol. A scheme operated by the National Parks & Wildlife Service, the Regional Veterinary Labs (Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine) and the State Laboratory (Department of Finance). Within 48 hours thanks to the experts within the Regional Veterinary Lab and the State Laboratory, both located at Celbridge, the bird was confirmed as having been poisoned by alphachloralose. The legal use of alphachloralose is restricted to the control of rats and mice. Furthermore the stomach contents of the red kite indicate that the poison was placed on meat bait, a practice now banned, largely for the protection of birds of prey. Searches of the area for further casualties or poisoned baits and door to door enquires were conducted by National Parks and Wildlife Service staff and local Gardaí.
The Kite was a wild-bred Wicklow kite from 2012, only 14 months old whose parents were originally brought over from Wales in 2008. The landowner, on whose land the kite was born is very disappointed to hear it has been found dead. Red Kites have only recently made their way as far north as Roundwood and it will be disappointing for many of the locals that had been enjoying their presence to hear of the poisoning.
Dr Marc Ruddock, Red Kite Project Manager, for the Golden Eagle Trust said “This is the height of recklessness and it is imperative that communities and individuals take responsibility for getting the people who are still laying poison to stop immediately. The costs are high for Irish wildlife and the potential human consequences of this incident don’t bear thinking about!” Dr Ruddock, urged people to report any information to National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) or An Garda Siochana and also report poisoning to their local Department of Agriculture office.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service in Wicklow welcomes any information on this case and the use of illegal poisons generally. You can contact the Wicklow Regional Office in Laragh on 0404-45800 or email wmnp@environ.ie. The Department of Agriculture can also be contacted about poisons at the Dublin Office on 01 6072000 or email info@agriculture.gov.ie
Editors Notes
The Irish Red Kite Reintroduction Project is part of an All-Ireland effort to restore red kites. These were formerly extinct in Ireland. The Golden Eagle Trust (www.goldeneagle.ie), NPWS and Welsh Kite Trust (www.welshkitetrust.org) have collected (from Wales) and released 120 red kites in Co. Wicklow between 2007 and 2011 and 39 red kites in Co. Dublin in 2011. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) www.rspb.org.uk released 80 red kites in Co. Down between 2008 and 2010. There are now 25-30 pairs of red kites breeding in Co. Wicklow and 10-15 pairs breeding in Co. Down.The Irish Red Kite Project is a partnership with the Welsh Kite Trust and National Parks & Wildlife Service.
The Golden Eagle Trust was founded in 1999 as a registered charity dedicated to the conservation and restoration of Ireland’s native birds and their habitats, in particular declining, threatened, and extinct species. The Golden Eagle Trust manages reintroduction programmes for Golden Eagles in, Co. Donegal, White-tailed Eagles in Co. Kerry and Red Kites in Wicklow & Dublin in partnership with the National Parks & Wildlife Service.
The Golden Eagle Trust’s main aim is to restore, enhance and maintain threatened and extinct native Irish bird species and their habitats through;
Creative and pro-active conservation management
Practical conservation research
Imaginative education and public awareness
The Welsh Kite Trust (www.welshkitetrust.org) is a registered charity which raises funds, through individual and corporate sponsorship and by undertaking contract work, to ensure that the conservation and monitoring of kites in Wales is maintained as a high priority. It also advises landowners and others on all matters relating to kites in Wales for example; photography or filming at nests and the setting up of live video links for tourism centres. Interested individuals can become a 'Friend of the Welsh Kite'.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service are charged with the protection of wild birds through the enforcement of the Wildlife Act 1976 and EC Birds Directive 1979. All cases of poisoning are treated seriously and searches of lands and premises are routinely done in the investigation of these offences. Rangers of the National Parks and Wildlife Service have legal powers conferred under the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) (Restrictions on use of Poisoned Bait) Regulations 2010 to conduct searches of the lands and door to door enquiries. Any information received about poisoning will be treated in confidence.