Sea eagles kill less than 2% of lambs, says study

The re-introduction of sea eagles into North West Scotland has had minimal impact on lamb mortality, a report has claimed.

The pilot study, commissioned by Scottish Natural Heritage, found that less than 2% of lamb deaths were a result of sea eagle attacks.

Carried out by the Food and Environment Research Agency, the study recorded the fortunes of lambs in the Gairloch peninsula between April and mid August last year.

Using radio tracking technology, observations of shepherds and field workers and examining nest debris, researchers found the raptors’ main source of food was sea birds.

The white-tailed sea eagle population has been growing in the area since they were re-introduced in 2007. There are currently 46 pairs recorded, 10 of which are in Mull.

Farmers and crofters on the Gairloch peninsula blamed the raptors for killing more than 200 lambs the year after they were reintroduced. The losses were so dramatic they initially thought rustlers were to blame.

Scottish government environment minister Roseanna Cunningham said the reintroduction of the sea eagles had been an “outstanding success”.

“But we also recognise that farmers and crofters are rightly concerned about their livestock and it is important we develop our knowledge and understanding of this issue,” she said.

“Where there are problems with sea eagles predating on livestock we will look at maintaining and improving schemes to find ways to help farmers manage their stock to co-exist with these magnificent birds.”

Jonnie Hall, NFU Scotland head of rural policy, said now numbers of sea eagles were growing their impact had to be properly managed.

“Where the density of sea eagles can have a significant impact on farming interests, we consider that management measures need to be put in place to minimise adverse consequences,” he said.

“Management techniques and measures for birds of prey are developing and these need to be funded and deployed by farmers in the most relevant and practical ways in order to avoid or reduce any adverse impacts on what are already vulnerable hill farming businesses.”

Mr Hall said NFUS had invited Ms Cunningham to Mull to see some of the challenges farmers and crofters faced in managing conservation targets with the realities of farming.

“This visit will hopefully take place at the beginning of June when interaction between the two is most vivid,” he added.