Heartbreak for a lord of the skies, but was Laddie’s death on purpose?
SCOTLAND’S most famous bird of prey may have been deliberately killed, police have said.
Laddie, one of the breeding pair of ospreys at the Loch of the Lowes reserve in Perthshire, has attracted visitors from around the world after starting to nest there in 2012.
But Police Scotland yesterday revealed the bird had been found dead on Friday – five days after going missing from its nest near Dunkeld. They have now launched an investigation and are appealing for anyone who may have seen anything ‘suspicious in the area’ to contact them amid fears the bird was illegally killed.
Officers said the remains were discovered near Dunkeld, adding that ‘the protected species is believed to have been nesting at Loch of the Lowes, close to where it was found’.
Inspector James Longden said: ‘It is illegal to kill any protected species and we are working alongside partner agencies to confirm whether there is any criminality involved.’
The raptor, also known as LM12, returned on March 27 for the 13th consecutive year and reunited with his mate, known as NC0, to the delight of thousands of enthusiasts monitoring the nest via the reserve’s live webcam.
The pair produced three eggs last month but Scottish Wildlife Trust rangers began to fear Laddie had come to harm after he failed to return on April 28.
Dr Ruth Tingay, of the Raptor Persecution UK blog, said: ‘If a post mortem confirms the osprey was killed illegally, it will upset thousands of people around the world who have followed this osprey’s story for years and will bring international shame on Scotland for its continued failure to protect birds of prey.’