Jun 14 2008
Last breeding golden eagle in Scotland poisoned
The only breeding female Golden eagle in Scottish Borders has died, she was poisoned on the first day of the grouse hunting season! A joint investigation by Lothian and Borders Police, RSPB Scotland, the Scottish SPCA and the Scottish Executive discovered poisoned bait on a grouse moor in the Borders. Her death is especially sickening given that the pair raised a chick this year, and although the chick has fledged and is now semi-independent, it was still being fed by both parents and so there is now a significant concern for its safety.
This picture was taken from wildlifeextra.com
5 responses so far
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Why do you think there was poisioned bait out? To kill foxes or other predators? This is so very sad! I hope the young eagle will make it.
Not the last Golden eagle in Scotland, but the breeding eagle in the Borders region. There are still healthy populations of Golden eagles in other parts of Scotland.
See http://www.wildlifeextra.com
Incredibly sad! It’s a loss for all of us around the world. When will this madness ever stop! Lisa
Where do things go from here? Will it be possible to re-introduce some new breeding pairs into the Scottish environment, or is this the final sentence of extinction for these majestic birds of prey in this region? So sad to hear this. If humanity would get its priorities straight, we wouldn’t be confronted with such depressing dilemmas. Truley a blight of shame that will haunt future generations, and yet another precursor of what is yet to come in the vanishing wilds. Thank you for your continued passion, effort, and commitment to be a proper steward of what all humanity should be fighing to protect on a daily basis. Keep up the fight!
I think the bait was aimed at the eagle, in a misguided attempt to protect game birds such as grouse from predation. Shooting, of grouse and deer, is big business in Scotland.