Overview
- A satellite‑tagged female Hen Harrier that moved to Ruabon Moor in late August 2025 showed a mortality signal on August 31 and the tag was later recovered with its harness deliberately cut and no body found.
- North Wales Police treat the disappearance as suspicious, have sent the tag for forensic analysis and continue an active investigation while urging the public to report any information.
- The RSPB says the damage to the harness and the missing body are consistent with unlawful killing and links the case to the wider problem of persecution on driven‑grouse moors.
- RSPB records and local reports show Ruabon Moor has a pattern of incidents between 2018 and 2026, including suspected persecution of five satellite‑tagged Hen Harriers, illegal poisoning and the use of banned traps.
- Hen Harriers are a red‑listed, legally protected species and those convicted of killing raptors face unlimited fines or up to six months in jail, but conservationists say prosecutions are hard without bodies and want licensing and stronger enforcement to stop further losses.