White-tailed agles set free in Killarney

WITH a few gentle wing flaps and expressions of godspeed from well-wishers, white-tailed eagles were again soaring across Irish skies, yesterday, for the first time in 100 years.

From a secret location in Killarney National Park, upwards of a dozen eaglets were released into the wild as part of an exciting project to re-introduce them to Ireland.

The white-tailed eaglets were brought here from Norway at the end of June and have been kept in release cages in Killarney National Park.

Farmers have claimed the eagles attack and kill lambs, but this is strongly denied by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), which insists the eagles are essentially carrion-eaters and that sheep farmers have nothing to fear from them.

Some farmers protested at Kerry Airport when the birds arrived to a media frenzy, about six weeks ago. But yesterday’s event was a low-key affair, with just a few cameras and no sign of a protester.

Everything was done with a minimum of fuss and the overall plan is to bring 75 white-tailed eagles to the south-west over a five-year period, 15 each year.

“Conditions for the release were very good, with a nice wind and bright day. Everything went according to plan. A few of the birds weren’t quite ready, but we’ll be letting those go in the coming days,” said NPWS regional manager Eamonn Meskell.

All the birds have been tagged, which will enable their movements to be monitored.

Also present yesterday was Environment Minister John Gormley, who said the project would help fulfil part of Ireland’s commitment to maintain and enhance our native wildlife under the obligations of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.

The birds are expected to remain within the precincts of the park for a few months before flying off to the coastal areas of south Kerry and west Cork, their natural habitat.