Golden eagles to be reintroduced in the UK
One of Britain’s most iconic birds, the golden eagle, is poised to make a return to England after more than 150 years.
Once widespread across England and mentioned more than 40 times by Shakespeare, golden eagles were virtually wiped out by persecution during the Victorian era. Only a handful of pairs have been seen in England since and the last eagle died in the Lake District in 2016.
But a study published by Forestry England confirms that England has the capacity to sustain golden eagle populations once more, with eight potential ‘recovery zones’, mostly in the north of England, identified as being the most suitable areas.
The Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds has welcomed the study’s findings and approved £1 million of additional funding to explore a reintroduction programme with the potential for juveniles, six to eight weeks old, to be released as early as next year.
“This government is committed to protecting and restoring our most threatened native wildlife, and that includes bringing back iconic species like the golden eagle,” said Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds.
“Backed by £1 million of government funding – we will work alongside partners and communities to make the golden eagle a feature of English landscapes once again.”
Aside from being Britain’s second largest bird of prey with an impressive 2-metre wingspan, the golden eagle is a keystone species that can play a vital role in nature recovery more widely. As an apex predator at the top of the food chain, golden eagles help to keep the whole ecosystem in balance.
“It is our ambition that the nation’s forests will become the most valuable places for wildlife to thrive and expand in England. And we know from our successful reintroduction projects that returning lost species is vital for nature recovery across landscapes,” said Mike Seddon, Forestry England Chief Executive.
“The detailed findings of our feasibility study will guide us with our partners, Restoring Upland Nature, to take the next steps to explore the recovery of golden eagles in northern England. This Defra funding means we can build on the good work we have begun, taking the time to build support and engage with local communities, landowners and land managers and conservation organisations.”
