Eagle reintroduction to Wales

This talk was given to Bangor Bird Group; a group of ornithologists and birdwatchers based in North Wales. The talk was given by Sophie-Lee Williams who works for Eagle Reintroduction Wales in partnership with Cardiff University with an aim to build a case for why eagles should be reintroduced. 

The last eagles in Wales went extinct in 1860's due to hunting (now illegal) and though raptor persecution still exists it is much lower than back in the 19^th century. It has been suggested that both golden and white-tailed eagles should be reintroduced to the Welsh countryside. 

A white-tailed eagle I saw during a trip to Mull of the west coast of Scotland. 

Its great to think that this soon could be a common sight across Wales. 

All reintroductions are heavily regulated with strict licencing and require large amount of research to back them up.

Key questions that must be answered are:

•          Can eagles survive in modern day Wales? 
•            Can the Welsh environment still support eagles?
•       Can eagles restore modern function and are there any risks?
•       Do eagles fit into the social-economic structure and ethics of Wales?

Unfortunately, there is an extremely low chance that these species will naturally re-colonise Wales due to slow population growth and strong natal philopatry therefore, reintroduction is the only way eagles will return to Wales.

Golden eagle (left) and white-tailed eagle (right) showing the size and shape difference.

(© Goede Prijzen)

The donor stock must be from a safe sustaining population, for white-tailed eagle the suggested donor population is Norway where there are >2000 pairs and for golden eagle the suggested donor population is from Scotland where the current breeding population is estimated at 528 pairs. The plan is to introduce 30-35 birds of each species to Wales.

Though there is no doubt that there is still a large amount of suitable eagle habitat, there has been a major decline since eagles where last present mainly due to increase in farming and conifer plantations.

A slide from the talk showing the remaining amount of habitat left in Wales since eagles went extinct as a percentage and also as an area. Though there is more % of  white-tailed eagle habitat left, as the birds are coastal there is 39x more total habitat left for golden eagles! 

 

Overall, the reintroduction of an eagle species (starting with white-tailed) will take 6-7 years with this study currently 50% through the feasibility stage. The next step is to undertake habitat regulatory assessments (HRAs), work out potential release sites and gain support from stakeholders and the community.

This talk was a real eye opener into why and how a reintroduction occurs; as we as human’s aim to regenerate the biodiversity of the Planet, reintroductions could be vital to bring back species that have been lost. In the future reintroductions may become a key part of many conservation jobs and knowledge learn from these talks will defiantly help me. I feel that both these species deserve to be brought back to the Welsh countryside as it was due human’s that these eagles became extinct so surely humans have the responsibility to revert this by bringing them back. 

I feel that both these species deserve to be brought back to the Welsh countryside as it was due to human's that these eagle species became extinct. So, surely as human's have the means they also have the responsibility to revert this by bringing them back. 

Link to talk