News

EXCLUSIVE: Rat toxin levels in Red Kites surge as Government scheme collapses

Published

5 months ago

December 2, 2025

Scientific data reveals 355% rise in deadly poison levels in Wales’s national bird

RED KITES in Wales — once saved from extinction and now a treasured national symbol — are being poisoned in shocking numbers by powerful rat toxins, according to a major new scientific report that exposes a decade-long collapse in UK and Welsh Government policy.

A review by Wildlife Poisoning Research UK (WPRUK), covering nearly 20 years of official evidence, found that red kites across Wales and England are carrying record levels of Second Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (SGARs) — chemicals that cause internal bleeding and death.

The findings, drawn from the Government’s Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme (WIIS), show that 96.8% of all red kites examined had been exposed to SGARs. More worryingly, 62.9% carried potentially lethal doses in recent years — up sharply from 48.3% a decade earlier.

A chemical time-bomb in the Welsh countryside

The report reveals that mean toxin levels have soared by 136%, with the deadliest SGAR, Brodifacoum, rising by an astonishing 355% since the Government introduced its “stewardship” rules in 2015–16.

Scientific analysis in the WPRUK review shows:

Birds begin to die when liver levels reach 0.1mg/kg
Brodifacoum in recent samples averaged 0.2760mg/kg
In significant poisoning cases, Brodifacoum now accounts for 73% of incidents, up from just 31% before 2014

Experts say the timing is no coincidence. In 2016, the UK Government approved the use of Brodifacoum “in and around buildings”, shifting from a previous requirement that it be used indoors only. Conservationists say this opened the door to widespread outdoor use on farms, yards and game estates — exactly where red kites scavenge.

A Welsh conservation miracle now in danger

The red kite survived in rural mid-Wales when it vanished everywhere else in Britain, with only five breeding pairs left in the mid-20th century. Decades of protection restored the species and saw successful reintroductions into England.

But the very behaviour that made the kite a symbol of revival — scavenging on dead animals — now makes it the early warning system for a countryside increasingly contaminated by rodenticides.

“This species is the barometer. And what it’s telling us is that the countryside is full of poison,” one conservation source told The Herald.

Government scheme ‘dramatically failed’

The report devastates the credibility of the Government’s Rodenticide Stewardship Scheme (RSS), launched in 2015. The scheme allowed continued outdoor SGAR use only if the pest-control industry reduced wildlife exposure.

But the Government’s own monitoring data now shows:

No reduction in SGAR exposure
Higher toxin levels than before the scheme began
A steep rise in the most toxic substances
Continued availability of dangerous SGARs to the general public

Dr Ed Blane, who led the study, said:

“Evidently this Government policy has dramatically failed and the situation is getting worse. UK and devolved Governments appear to have been collectively asleep at the wheel.”

Sold freely in Welsh garden centres

Despite warnings from regulators and scientists, Brodifacoum remains freely sold in shops, garden centres and DIY stores across Wales, often without training, ID checks or restrictions.

Product labels carry stark warnings:

“May damage unborn children”
“May cause damage to organs (blood) through repeated exposure”

WPRUK argues that amateur use is a major blind spot, because WIIS only investigates professional misuse — leaving most public cases unmonitored and unreported.

Other species also poisoned

WPRUK and independent research show the same trend in:

Buzzards
Foxes
Peregrine falcons
Barn owls

High-profile recent cases include:

A white-tailed eagle found dead in Dorset in 2022 with seven times the lethal Brodifacoum threshold
A golden eagle case in Powys suspected of SGAR involvement

“These poisons are inherently unsafe when used outdoors,” the report states, citing a US Environmental Protection Agency assessment that Brodifacoum poses the greatest risk of all rat poisons to predators and scavengers.

Welsh Government now in the spotlight

Questions The Herald will be putting to ministers this week:

Did Wales oppose or question the 2016 rule change expanding Brodifacoum use?
Why is the poison still sold unrestricted to the public?
What monitoring has NRW undertaken on SGAR contamination in Welsh wildlife?
Will Wales now consider banning amateur sales or restricting SGARs to indoor-only use?

Senior conservationists privately believe Wales is in a position to lead the UK in imposing tough new SGAR controls — but that political will is missing.

One former NRW official told this paper: “The data is overwhelming. If Wales does nothing now, it will be a deliberate choice, not an accident.”

A call for urgent change

WPRUK recommends:

Ban amateur sales of Brodifacoum
Restrict all SGARs to indoor-only use
Expand WIIS investigations to include amateur misuse
A new UK-wide regulatory framework
Immediate Government review of all SGAR approvals

A warning from Wales’s national bird

As red kites wheel above Welsh fields once again, the report warns their future could be shaped not by persecution or habitat loss, but by a poison poured into barns, hedgerows and back gardens.

If action is not taken, scientists say the red kite revival — one of Wales’s greatest conservation stories — could enter a new era of unnecessary decline.

Local Government

Three-way contest as council leader steps down

Published

2 hours ago

April 29, 2026

Jon Coles

PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL is set for a three-way contest after council leader Jon Harvey confirmed he will not seek re-election when councillors vote to choose their next leader.

Cllr Harvey has led the council since his predecessor, Cllr David Simpson, stepped down in May 2024 after seven years in the post.

Independent Group councillor Anji Tinley announced her decision to contest the council leadership on April 24. However, she will not be the only contender to lead the authority. Conservative Group leader Di Clements and current Cabinet member Tessa Hodgson will also contest the election.

THE FINE BALANCE OF POWER

The vote could be very close.

The Conservatives have eleven councillors, the Independent Group has eighteen, with the balance held by fifteen unaffiliated councillors, three Plaid Cymru members, two Liberal Democrats, and nine Labour members.

There is one Reform UK councillor, Scott Thorley, and, following the death of Cllr Brian Hall last weekend, a vacant seat.

That leaves the council more or less evenly split between the loose coalition that supports the current administration and the two largest party groupings, the Independent Group and the Conservatives.

THE CANDIDATES

Cllr Tinley joined the local authority after winning the Haverfordwest Garth ward in the 2022 local authority election.

She replaced Cllr Huw Murphy as Independent Group leader earlier this year.

In the announcement of her decision to contest the leadership, an Independent Group spokesperson said: “Anji Tinley has the experience, determination and commitment needed to help restore confidence in the council and ensure that the voices of all residents are properly heard.”

Cllr Di Clements has been the county councillor for Martletwy since 2017.

She has led the Conservative Group on Pembrokeshire County Council since 2022, and is a former chairperson of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.

In 2024, she narrowly lost the council leadership election to Jon Harvey by 30 votes to 27.

Cllr Tessa Hodgson has been a member of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet since 2017.

An experienced councillor, Cllr Hodgson appeared well-placed to replace former leader David Simpson in 2024. However, despite broad support for her candidacy, she declined to put her name forward.

Known for her independent thinking and relentless attention to detail, Cllr Hodgson has performed well in the social services hot seat over several years.

NEW LEADER FACES OLD PROBLEMS

The Conservative and Independent groups think there is a need for change ahead of next year’s county council elections.

There have been rumblings of discontent among those generally supportive of the current administration, and a leadership vote could crystallise those feelings.

That said, Tessa Hodgson is a strong candidate — almost certainly the strongest available to the current administration.

The practical result of a change of leadership, and in the event of either a Conservative or Independent Group win, a new Cabinet, with a year to go to the next council election, is less certain.

The annual budget is set, the council tax rates are determined, and the room for manoeuvre is limited. What a new Cabinet can do within the current funding model is constrained by programmes already in place and funded for the next year.

Moreover, the identities of those who might serve, or be persuaded to serve, in a new Cabinet are similarly limited.

A change of direction would likely mean the shedding of Labour cabinet members and the possible exit of the Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru from the administration.

Whether unaffiliated members such as Michelle Bateman, Tessa Hodgson, or Jacob Williams would join a council led by either Di Clements or Anji Tinley, or even be asked to do so, is open to question.

Meanwhile, whether Tessa Hodgson is prepared to significantly reshape the Cabinet and either broaden its base or reduce the influence of party groups within it could be a significant factor in how swing voters decide to cast their ballot.

It’s a close call.

But whatever the result, there is one thing for certain. Whoever the new leader of Pembrokeshire County Council is, they will, for the first time, be a woman.

News

Rhun ap Iorwerth visits Narberth as Senedd campaign enters final week

Published

2 hours ago

April 29, 2026

Tom Sinclair

PLAID CYMRU leader Rhun ap Iorwerth has visited Narberth as the Senedd election campaign enters its final week.

The party says the election is now a close contest between Plaid Cymru and Reform UK, with recent polling suggesting both parties are competing to become the largest party in the next Senedd.

Mr ap Iorwerth was joined in Narberth by Plaid Cymru candidates for the new Ceredigion Penfro constituency, including lead candidate Elin Jones, Kerry Ferguson, Anna Nicholl and Cris Tomos.

The visit came ahead of polling day on Thursday, May 7, when voters across Wales will elect members to the expanded Senedd.

Plaid Cymru said every vote for the party in Ceredigion Penfro would help deliver what it called “a strong voice” for Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion, while arguing that it was best placed to replace Labour in government and prevent Reform UK from leading the next Welsh Government.

Rhun ap Iorwerth said: “It’s great to be here in Narberth. With just a few days until the election next Thursday, I can’t emphasise enough how important it is that residents in Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion vote for Plaid Cymru.

“We can finally replace Labour in government after 27 years and focus on improving our public services and building our economy in every part of Wales.”

Elin Jones, Plaid Cymru’s lead candidate for Ceredigion Penfro, said Mr ap Iorwerth’s visit underlined the importance of turnout in the final days of the campaign.

She said: “Rhun’s presence here in Narberth today reminds us of the importance of using our voices by voting on Thursday.

“I have served Ceredigion for the last 20 years and have fought against centralisation of health services. I will continue to do that for both Bronglais and Withybush hospitals if I’m re-elected.

“Even if you have never voted for Plaid Cymru before, a vote for Plaid in this election can replace Labour, defeat Reform and elect new positive leadership for Wales.”

The new Ceredigion Penfro constituency covers Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion and will return six members under the new Senedd electoral system.

Pic caption: Rhun ap Iorwerth, Plaid Cymru Leader, with Ceredigion Penfro candidates Elin Jones, Kerry Ferguson, Anna Nicholl and Cris Tomos, and supporters in Narberth.

Community

Community volunteers freshen up Nolton Haven toilets for season ahead

Published

4 hours ago

April 29, 2026

Tom Sinclair

VOLUNTEERS have been praised for helping keep public toilets open at Nolton Haven ahead of the busy summer season.

Nick Neumann, from Haverfordwest, spent a day painting the facilities, giving them a fresh coat as the coastal village prepares for more visitors.

The toilets are now run by Nolton and Roch Community Council and are maintained through volunteer support and public donations.

The effort has been described as a real example of community spirit, with local people stepping in to help protect an important facility for residents, walkers, beachgoers and visitors to the area.

The work was shared on local community pages, including the Nolton Haven Community Page and Roch Village – Pembrokeshire.