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| The Exmoor coastline is thought to provide excellent feeding and breeding habitat for White-tailed Eagles (photo: Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation) |
UP to 20 young White-tailed Eagles could be released in Exmoor National Park over the next three years.
The initiative is planned by the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation as part of ongoing efforts to establish a population of the species on Britain's South Coast.
Says the Foundation's Zoe Smith: "We think that releasing a up to 20 birds over three years would help reinforce the English population by aiding the geographical expansion.
"Eagles from our established Isle of Wight project have been frequent visitors to Exmoor over the past five years, and we know that many people have enjoyed seeing them."
What about those scare stories about livestock predating livestock?
"This is a common fear," concedes Zoe. "But there has been no record of this since the Isle of Wight project began.
"The birds prefer to hunt fish but will also eat birds (including gulls and corvids), small mammals and dead animals (carrion).
"For young birds, carrion makes up a large proportion of their diet but, by their third year, White-tailed Eagles will have gravitated towards wetland sites, home to their preferred diet of fish."
Exmoor ahoy!
Exmoor National Park officials are supportive of the proposal but have been conducting a 'public perception survey' before giving the green light.
Says one, who prefers not to be named: "White-tailed Eagles formerly bred on the coast of Exmoor.
"The extensive areas of coastal woodland and abundant marine fish species, such as grey mullet, provide exceptional breeding habitat."
Forestry England, which has extensive interests in the area is supportive, but the prevailing views of farmers and landowners are not known.
No target date has been announced for the launch of the Exmoor project.
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