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Yet another Eagle poisoned in Kerry

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  • 18-03-2009 7:48pm
    #1
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,655 ✭✭✭


    The reintroduction effort to return the magnificent White-tailed Sea-Eagle back to their former range in Kerry appears to be heading for the rocks with the news of yet another poisoning incident. There now appears to be a sustained campaign by persons in the area to target this worthy project which already has had tourism spin-offs in Killarney and the surrounding area with people flocking to the National Park to catch a glimpse of these awesome birds of prey.


    I suspected that this project was going to have problems getting off the ground given the sustained campaign of ignorance and mis-information pedaled by the local IFA branch. This is in stark contrast to their counterparts in Donegal in relation to the Golden Eagle re-introduction were the vast majority sheep farmers have embraced the birds as their friend given that their main prey items include crows and foxs. As any ecologist/wildlife expert/ ornitholgist will tell neither species targets live sheep or lamb. Like most eagles they will also feed on carrion when the chance arises and this is their major achilles heal when it comes to reckless and criminal use of poisoned carcase's by a small group of gombeen landowners.


    Studies in the UK and US have proven that 98% of livestock loss's on sheep and cattle farms are due to either poor husbandry or bad weather. On the extremely rare occasion where wildlife and/or dogs are causing significant damage to an individual farmer, targeted trapping and shooting have been proven to be a far more effective and humane way of controlling this situation. Poisoning is an indiscriminate and cruel method which more often than not leads to killing everything but the problem animal. This is particualry the case in dog attacks where these often household pets are well feed by their owners but are simply acting out of instinct.


    Given that now, a third of the eagles in Kerry have met an agonising death through poisoning, this issue is becoming one of animal welfare. Can the project leaders justify sending more young Norwegian Sea-Eagles to their death in Kerry. Until the issue of delibrate mis-use of poison by certain farmers is tackled through stiff fines and loss of EU entitlements on conviction(as has been succesfullly employed in Scotland for example in relation to similiar problems on shooting estates over there), the current state of affairs cannot be justified.


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