By Isle of Wight Observer
The Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation has issued an urgent appeal following the ‘deeply concerning’ disappearance of three White-tailed Eagles under suspicious circumstances. The birds, part of high-profile reintroduction efforts, are feared to be victims of wildlife crime.
The three birds were part of a landmark conservation project based on the Isle of Wight, designed to restore the apex predators to southern England for the first time in over 150 years. The Island was chosen as a strategic release site due to its ideal coastal habitat and abundant food sources, serving as a ‘hub’ from which the eagles have successfully dispersed across the UK.
The investigation centred on two eagles in September, after their satellite trackers were discovered dumped near their last known locations.
Expert analysis revealed the tracking harnesses had been deliberately severed with a sharp instrument. One of these birds was a chick that had successfully fledged from a nest in Sussex earlier this summer.
A third eagle is now missing in southern Scotland. Its satellite tag abruptly stopped transmitting data on November 8, and there have been no confirmed sightings since.
The National Wildlife Crime Unit, in co-ordination with several regional police forces, has launched a formal probe. White-tailed eagles are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and conservationists are urging anyone with information to come forward.
