Hunter arrested for poisoning birds of prey in Spain

The latest was a golden eagle that was bred in a captivity centre in Ciudad Real and only released into the wild in November

J. M. L.

Albacete

Thursday, 27 March 2025, 16:25

The Guardia Civil has arrested a man in Albacete, in the Castilla-La Mancha region of Spain, poisoning various birds of prey. The hunter is facing a prison sentence from six months to two years or a fine of 8 to 24 months for killing a protected species and a prison sentence from four months to two years or a fine of 8 to 24 months for use of poison. The sentence will include disqualification from the profession, trade or exercise related to hunting for three to seven years, if he is found guilty on both charges, as well as deprivation of the right to possess weapons for the same period.

The latest was a one-year-old golden eagle that was bred in captivity at the El Chaparrillo agro-environmental research centre in Ciudad Real. The bird had been equipped with a GPS device to track it and study its behaviour in the wild since it was released in Castilla de Santiago. As its home, the eagle chose a farm near Albacete, where it died after ingesting a pigeon, containing a highly toxic substance inside, that the arrested man had released as bait.

The Guardia Civil, in collaboration with environmental officers, launched an investigation and, with the help of dogs trained to detect poison, found the pigeon. This led them to the hunter, who kept poison and more prey in his vehicle.

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