People who are shooting birds of prey should be prosecuted, says FreeMe Wildlife, who are on a mission to protect the raptors amid a rise in their killings. Tammy Caine, a raptor specialist at FreeMe Wildlife, said they have recently had two birds of prey - an African harrier hawk and a spotted eagle owl - come in with pellets in their wings. "While the African harrier hawk is still in care, the spotted eagle owl sadly had to be euthanised. The pellet, embedded in the wrist joint of the wing, could not be surgically removed, and continued to cause immense inflammation and necrosis to the surrounding tissue until, eventually, the joint became immobile, and the owl was clearly suffering a great deal," she said.