Wildlife reintroduction - Killing flies in face of atonement

THE mean spiritedness and ignorance shown by the person who shot and killed one of the 30 red kites reintroduced to Wicklow almost six weeks ago is so staggering that it brings shame on us all.

The red kite project is just one of at least three in the Republic where birds of prey are being reintroduced to habitats they once graced, before they were made extinct by man’s violent intervention.

Just yesterday, the white-tailed eagle project in Killarney National Park expanded with the release of a further 15 birds. In Donegal the golden eagle project continues in Glenveagh National Park. Neither of these projects have attracted the attentions of someone so churlish as to kill one of the magnificent birds.