Sea Eagles

Recently on Farming Today BBC Radio Four, there was a report that Scottish Crofters had lost two hundred Lambs to the Sea Eagles that have been reintroduced to Scotland. Even as I heard this claim I had my doubts about the veracity of the claim.

Now there is no doubt that Sea Eagles could take a Lamb, they are enormous birds, with a seven to eight foot wingspan and Europe's largest, what perplexed me was just how many were taking all these Lambs. For two hundred to be taken in a year there would need to be a population in the area of thirty plus.

While I am not an expert on this bird, also known as the White Tailed Eagle, I had no doubt that the RSPB who are experts would not have created that level of over population. Based upon my experience (limited) of the feeding needs of Golden Eagles who need about 450 to 500 grams per day then the Sea Eagles would have a similar need.

So I started doing my own research and there appears to be no truth to the story at all, or at least greatly exaggerated. However, the RSPB has commissioned an investigation into this to see if the reintroduced birds are adversely effecting the crofters.

However, even the BBC are now pulling back from the original report as the evidence just is not there.

There are always people that see wildlife as a threat to their lively hood, but often the facts do not bare out their fears. In fact the reality is that by preserving the top predators you conserve all aspects of an environment. I have previously posted about the experience in the Yellowstone National Park, and as I am currently reading an article by a Yale Professor I may well be posting more on this at a latter date. But while I do understand that in small scale farming any loss has a greater impact than it would on a large scale farmer, blaming the Sea Eagles for losses when it blatantly can not be true, there are three birds in the location, only distracts from what could be the real problem.

I just hope that the RSPB have not been forced to waste thousands of pounds looking into a non existent problem. Further, I hope that the BBC feels shame for reporting prejudice as facts.

I hope that one day soon I will get the opportunity to see these magnificent birds for myself, and hunting rabbits and hares that are their prey.