Another eagle found dead believed poisoned

ANOTHER white-tailed sea eagle, introduced to Killarney National Park as part of a nature restoration project, has been found dead, believed poisoned.

Project director Dr Allan Mee confirmed the carcass of the male bird had been found wedged on a tree, but in the water, in the River Laune, near Beaufort, Co Kerry.

It was the 12th of the 55 eagles reintroduced to die.

New regulations controlling the use of poisoned meat bait, promised in 2008 by Environment Minister John Gormley, are still awaited.

Accepting current regulations were inadequate to safeguard protected species, the minister said he would introduce a system whereby such bait could only be used in exceptional circumstances and under licence.

Dr Mee, meanwhile, said it looked as if the eagle had been poisoned and toxicology tests are to be carried out this week.

He did not think, however, the poisoning had been deliberate and the eagle may have consumed poison left out for foxes.

The two-year-old bird, which had been released in 2008, was in perfect condition and well nourished, Dr Mee said.

Already this year, a golden eagle chick and two red kites, part of sister restoration projects in Donegal and Wicklow, respectively, died from poisoning.

Now that the lambing season is underway, Dr Mee appealed to sheep farmers not to use poisoned meat bait, which is normally put out for foxes and crows but is equally fatal to eagles.

“We lost three eagles during each of the last two lambing seasons... We hope there won’t be any more fatalities,” he said.

“We are appealing to farmers to avoid putting out poison on meat at all costs.”

He also said there was a huge amount of goodwill towards the eagle project from farmers and the general public.

It was encouraging, Dr Mee said, that the first pair had formed since the eagles were introduced in 2007. The pair was beginning to hold territory in the Lough Currane area, Waterville, and the hope was they would breed next year.