Exmoor white-tailed eagle plans raise farmer fears

Natural England has approved plans to release up to 20 white-tailed eagles on Exmoor over the next three years, prompting concerns from farming groups over the potential impact on livestock and hill farming businesses.

The project, led by the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation alongside Forestry England and Exmoor National Park Authority, will include an additional eight years of monitoring in the licence conditions after sustained lobbying from the NFU.

See also: Northern farmers reject sea eagle reintroduction in NFU poll

NFU South regional board chairman David Chugg said the union had spent more than a year pressing project partners and regulators to strengthen safeguards for farmers amid concerns the eagles could prey on newborn lambs and vulnerable livestock on Exmoor farms.

“Through our engagement we have looked to gain a longer-term commitment for the management of these birds, to ensure that farmers are not burdened with the cost of managing their reintroduction,” he added.

“Some farmers are keen to see these birds back in the landscape. However, many farmers do have concerns about the potential risks that white-tailed eagles could bring to farm businesses on and around Exmoor, especially around livestock predation.”

The NFU pointed to Scotland, where white-tailed eagles – also known as “sea eagles” –  were reintroduced to the Western Isles and west coast decades ago and where concerns over lamb losses have continued to escalate.

NatureScot’s Sea Eagle Management Scheme, established in 2015 with NFU Scotland involvement, now supports nearly 200 holdings across more than 206,000ha and provides financial assistance, enhanced shepherding and mitigation measures to farmers and crofters reporting eagle predation.

NatureScot admission

NatureScot acknowledges that “in some places, white-tailed eagles predate live, healthy lambs and the impact on farmers’ and crofters’ livelihoods can be significant”.

“We have seen that these birds are impacting farm businesses in Scotland,” said Mr Chugg.

“Last year the Scottish government provided £970,000 to support farmers and crofters with managing the impacts from white-tailed eagles on livestock.”

And he warned: “These birds could pose a threat to the financial resilience of farm business and add further worrying pressure to farmers’ mental health.”

The Exmoor decision comes as separate plans advance for releases in Cumbria, where an NFU survey published this month found 85% of farmers and land managers opposed reintroductions amid fears over livestock welfare and upland farming viability.

NSA response

The National Sheep Association (NSA) opposes the reintroduction amid concerns of the potential economic losses, compromised animal welfare and subsequent mental health risks to farmers.

NSA policy manager Michael Priestley said that while the Isle of Wight releases had so far caused no known agricultural conflict, it was still “very early days”.

The 45 birds released since 2019 had only reached breeding age within the past two years, meaning more time was needed to assess their impact on ecosystems and farming.

He added: “Predation is a major challenge in some areas on the west coast of Scotland where farmers are losing significant numbers of viable lambs.

“This must be considered a possibility for the areas of southern England now to be repopulated with the birds once again.”