Golden Eagle found Dead

Very sad new to hear that one of the Golden eagles involved in the re-introduction programme in Glenveagh national Park. Co. Donegal has been found poisoned! From other articles including this one is deos seem that is was a deliberate act to kill the birds.

Sadly, even with all the Education work Lorcan and his team are doing there are still a few that see thesebeautiful creatures as a threat. They were afterall here well before we were and have more right than any to live their lives. Hopefully this being brought to the spotlight will educate others and hopefully discourage it from happening again but who knows.

Article below taken from the Belfast telegraph Website.


Donegal eagle killed by poison

Tuesday, 3 March 2009



Wildlife experts examine the remains of a 10-month-old Golden Eagle which was found poisoned on the remote fringes of Glenveagh National Park in Donegal on February 19

A rare golden eagle has been found dead after being poisoned on a remote Donegal hillside.


The 10-month-old bird was found on the remote fringes of Glenveagh National Park on February 19.

Toxicology tests carried out since then revealed the young female, which was brought to the county last August, had been poisoned.

Lorcan O'Toole, head of the Golden Eagle Trust, refused to disclose the type of poison used.

"Some of its feathers on its left wing were broken, suggesting the bird had been thrashing about in pain prior to its death. The bird was dead for over two weeks, but was probably frozen and covered in snow for some of that time," he said.

"It's very disappointing and a serious threat to the future of the project."

It is understood two suspects have been identified over the death.

The bird, which came from the island of Mull in Scotland, was found on mountains between the townlands of Tore, Crolly and Dunlewey village using satellite tracking systems.

It was face down in thick heather with its wings outstretched and according to a post mortem carried out in the Department of Agriculture regional veterinary laboratory in Sligo it had eaten shortly before it died.

Gardai, the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Department of Agriculture are investigating the killing.

Despite the modern satellite tracking system the eagle trust have not been able to establish where the bird was prior to eating the poison.

It is believed others birds have been persecuted in this area including a young pair of eagles which disappeared in Spring 2006 and Mr O'Toole warned there may have been other unreported eagle deaths.

"We have recovered this bird because we had satellite tags on its back and we wonder how many more other birds we have lost in this area," he said.

"We have our suspicions that we have lost other birds. While it's disappointing it's also good to prove the death.

"It is difficult to know if an individual is targeting golden eagles but we are adamant that whoever did this was targeting the birds as well. It's a bloody-minded type of action. We don't believe that ignorance could be an excuse."

Mr O'Toole, however, praised the support the project has received from local farmers and the wider community in Donegal.

The county now has four territorial pairs of Golden Eagles, two of which are too young to breed. The success of the project is further demonstrated in the number of sightings across the country with people in coastal counties from Down right around the Atlantic coast to Clare claiming to have seen the birds.

Tan, I don't know if you've ever seen these guys close up but they are huge.. You seen the pic of my OH with his baby and she isn't even a year old!!!!! They are monster birds.. When his goldie even looks at you it gives you the em. willies.. and when she spies my cat boots she thinks they are dinner PMSL..

But the point is they are very big birds and being that big and having that strength they have the potential to maybe take straying lambs etc.. Farmers sadly see that threat as a loss of earnings and, not that I am justifying it, but I can see why they would feel threatened enough to take some private action. In this day with money worries as they are 1 lamb here or there is money lost from the farming family so bye bye bird, hello cash..

Its very sad but I think they said in the article they are possibly aware who it was.. Maybe they will be able to bring the person to justice..