In February 2020, the RSPB published new data on raptor persecution. 2018 was the worst year in over a decade in England, and whilst recorded incidents had fallen in Scotland there is concern that this is only because the criminals have got better at concealing their crime. The RSPB’s Raptor Persecution Map Hub, an interactive map of known confirmed raptor persecution incidents in the UK, has been expanded and updated to show all confirmed raptor persecution from 2007 to 2018. In total there were 1,242 confirmed incidents over the period, with most in England (686) and Scotland (394). By far the worst area, and a notorious hotspot for wildlife crime, was North Yorkshire, with 132.
