BY ALENA WILDE

Many parts of southern England are capable of supporting, breeding and wintering White-tailed Eagles, but the Isle of Wight was considered the most suitable location for their reintroduction. It is the last known breeding site of the species in southern England, located close to highly suitable foraging areas in the Solent and surrounding estuaries, with numerous potential nesting sites in woods and cliffs, and quiet areas for immature birds.

The high concentrations of wintering wildfowl and waders in the Solent and surrounding area mean that foraging eagles will regularly encounter bird carcasses, and they will also take any washed-up dead fish or marine mammals as they search shorelines for food.

White-tailed eagles that were released into the wild in southern England have not attacked livestock, a study has found.

The reintroduction of what is the UK’s largest bird of prey – also known as the sea eagle – occurred on the Isle of Wight back in 2019, more than two centuries after the species became extinct in England. Farmers on the island previously said they feared for the safety of lambs. However, Forestry England said its study of the eagles showed no such predation.

In Scotland, where the birds are more numerous, lamb remains have been found in sea eagles’ nests. Yet Stephen Egerton-Read from Forestry England said no lambs or similar creatures had been taken by the Isle of Wight eagles. He said: “There has not been any actual conflict [with farming]. There’s just been a perception conflict might happen.”

Like this Steve?

Or this?

Maybe the White-tailed Eagles on the Isle of Wight are more chilled out than their Scottish brothers and sisters. Maybe they are not partial to lamb. Or maybe, as Plato wrote, ‘Science is nothing but perception.’

We need to clarify what releasing a predator into an environment is when we know that something is going to die and suffer as a result of that release. If people don’t like fox hunting because of the pain, then how can they approve of the same suffering caused by human intervention, just because nobody is watching?

Alena Wilde is sitting a Biology PhD at Cambridge University.