First Irish-bred White-tailed Eagle found shot

Ongoing raptor persecution is a sadly familiar story in the UK, 60 years after it was made illegal, but it's rearing its ugly head in Ireland too. One of the first White-tailed Eagles Haliaeetus albicilla to fledge in the Irish reintroduction scheme has been found dead with shotgun injuries. It was found by a member of the public near Ballinderry, North Tipperary, on the north-east shore of Lough Derg.

Subsequent post-mortem examination by pathologists at the Regional Veterinary Laboratory at Knockalisheen, in Co. Limerick showed that the young male eagle had been shot, the body holding some 45-50 shotgun pellets. The impact of the shooting broke one of its legs and wings but the bird survived for some weeks after the shooting before dying. The horrific nature of the bird's shooting and ultimate death has shocked all those involved in the reintroduction project.

For the full story see here: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/one-of-only-two-irish-bred-white-tailed-eagles-shot-and-killed-1.1713647