20 more eagles to be released in national park
It’s the second phase of a five-year project to reintroduce the birds to this country.
Four of the first 15 birds released in the park last summer died from illegal poisoning. But project director Dr Allan Mee remains optimistic the programme will be successful.
He said there had been a lot of positive feedback from people who were expressing their support for the project. He also valued the support of the farming community in the Black Valley and other parts of south and west Kerry where the birds had spent time.
Tourism interests, who feel the eagles will be an important visitor attraction, are among the most enthusiastic supporters of the project.
Dr Mee said initial fears among sheep farmers that the eagles might kill lambs had been allayed during the past year.
“People have become used to the birds flying around and we got through the new lamb season without any problems. People are very positive about the project,” he added.
The latest arrivals were sourced in the same area of Norway as the first 15 and will be released in stages, starting in early August, from their cages in the national park.
The eagles feed mainly on dead animal carcasses (carrion) and fish.
Postmortem examinations found those that died from poisoning had consumed Alphachlorolose and Trodax — generally used to kill foxes and crows — which are believed to have been put in meat bait.
Amid fears the eagles may have been maliciously poisoned, a Garda investigation is continuing.
Three of the dead eagles were found in the Brida area, in the west of the MacGillycuddy Reeks and not far from the release point.
Dr Mee said the fact that the birds were found poisoned in the same area was a “big worry” and there may be some changes in release plans for the new arrivals.
“We may stop feeding them earlier so that they don’t become accustomed to feeding carrion in the same area and may also experiment with them in the hope they’ll take fish sooner,” hesaid.
The movements of each bird are tracked by a radio system and some have gone to Cork, Waterford, Galway, Sligo, Mayo, Donegal, and as far north as Limavady, in Co Derry and parts of Co Down.
The birds in Derry and Down have not returned to Killarney but Dr Mee said they may come back.
There have been several sightings of one of the birds in Lough Neagh in recent weeks.
“Eagles can travel up to 800km from the nest in the first year but they have also been known to return fairly close to the nest,” he said.
“In the past couple of months, a couple of birds have made it back to the lower lake, in Killarney,” said Dr Mee.
During the winter and spring, the birds fed almost exclusively on carrion.
