White-tailed eagles are set to be reintroduced to the Lake District after being hunted to extinction 300 years ago
Soaring majestically in the skies with a giant wingspan of over eight feet, they are Britains largest birds of prey.
Soaring majestically in the skies with a giant wingspan of over eight feet, they are Britains largest birds of prey.
Now white-tailed eagles could be brought back to the Lake District - over two centuries since being hunted to extinction in the 18th century.
It follows successful reintroductions in Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of Wight.
Consultation has now been launched about the proposed revival of the birds in Cumbria.
But the project has caused concern among farmers - with the National Sheep Association, whose members include hill farmers in the Lake District, meeting with project leaders yesterday.
White-tailed eagles could be brought back to the Lake District - over two centuries since being hunted to extinction in the 18th century (pictured: White-tailed Eagle off the Isle of Mull)
A consultation has been launched about the proposed revival of the birds in Cumbria (pictured: White-tailed Eagle off the Isle of Wight)
In Scotland, there have been reports of the eagles preying on lambs to the extent supplies of meat and fish have had to be put out to divert the airborne predators attention.
Dr Deborah Brady, from the Lifescape Project, which is behind the proposed reintroduction in Cumbria - and believes the birds have an intrinsic right to exist in the Lake District - said its aim was to reverse the biodiversity crisis were in.
She told the BBC: One of the key things we need to do is bring back species that are missing from our ecosystems and some species have more impact than others. The eagle is definitely part of that.
The last recorded attempt to revive white-tailed eagles in the region was in 1787 when there were efforts to breed the birds near Haweswater.
Richard Francksen, zoologist at the University of Cumbria, called the eagles were a majestic, incredible, awe-inspiring species.
He said they would positively impact the tourism industry and local economy if their reintroduction was done properly.
Mr Francksen added: They should be here anyway.
Photo shows a white-tailed eagle issued by the Northern Ireland Raptor Study Group
Reintroductions elsewhere have proved contentious. Two years ago, Scottish National Party MP Angus MacNeil, who represents the Western Isles and has his own sheep flock, called for a cull of the birds - first reintroduced to the Scottish Islands in the 1970s.
He said numbers of the eagles were bumping up due to them eating livestock and said a neighbouring farmer had lost healthy lambs.
Wildlife management body NatureScot did not agree to a cull but highlighted mitigation measures including diversionary feeding - providing meat and fish in a location away from livestock.
As part of a consultation process, the Lake District National Park Authority has organised a series of public drop-in sessions and meetings about the proposed reintroduction of the eagles.
Tim Duckmanton, team leader for strategy and environment at the authority, said: We need to understand, is it feasible from a community point of view? Do they want white-tailed eagles back in the landscape?
Then, after that, we move to how we go about releasing them later.
