Educate and relate

White-tailed sea eagles at one point were found across Britain, but are now one of the rarest species of bird to these lands. They are a missing part of the UK's native biodiversity and were lost entirely through human persecution and were made extinct to the UK 200 years ago.

Concerns raised when educating the public about the importance of the species' reintroduction are frequently of the eagles attacking and killing lambs or other British livestock.

Currently, In Ireland, where there are now many breeding pairs of white-tailed eagles following a reintroduction project, there have been no cases of eagle predation on lambs and most farmers are either neutral or supportive to the project, despite initial concerns.

Furthermore, researchers monitoring the expanding Dutch white-tailed eagle population concluded of no recorded cases of eagles taking lambs or any other livestock, and there is no conflict with farming.

In the UK, groups such as @britishbirdofpreycentre @rspb_love_nature @forestryengland plus many others are working around the clock to educate and train people to help promote the reintroduction of these birds and help restore biodiversity to the nation.

By establishing a population on the south coast of the UK, it is hoped the birds will also support existing communities in France, the Netherlands and Ireland, helping to secure a long-term future of the white-tailed eagle within Europe.

Sadly, despite being strictly protected under Schedules 1, 1A and A1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and The Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004, human persecution remains.

In March of this year, a white-tailed eagle was found dead in Dorset. Toxicology reports had concluded that the eagle had high levels of brodifacoum - a rodenticide in its system : this eagle was deliberately poisoned.

Facts:

Factual evidence is vital to educate so individuals can help relate and support such a cause.

There are current plans to reintroduce the population within Wales in the next few years.

These magnificent birds do not attack live stock. They mainly scavenge or fish and are a major contributor to their ecosystem.
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