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White-tailed Eagle takes lamb? (1 Viewer)

Andy Adcock

Andy Adcock

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Cyprus
Clearly the group opposed to the reintroduction of Sea Eagles, will leap upon this article as proof of their claims that the birds take their livestock.

Two questions, is the image genuine and was the lamb alive or has the Eagle taken an already deceased animal which they are known to do? I wouldn't be at all surprised, knowing what we do about the behaviour of farmers in the UK in relation to wildlife, if this was actually a set up where a corpse has been laid out for this very purpose?

https://news.sky.com/story/sea-eagle-seizes-lamb-and-carries-it-off-in-scotland-11716231
 
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Morning Andy,

Almost certainly the anti brigade will jump all over this even though there is ( I believe ) a reimbursement scheme in place for any proven cases of live farm animals being lost. There's always going to be opposing views of the innocent pet lamb ( raised to provide meat ) against a mighty bird of prey that sometimes is taking away carrion.

Happens in our back gardens and nature can be interpreted as cruel sometimes as we all know.

ATB Pat
 
From the article:
"[...] I would think there is also a danger to people's pets - cats and dogs and so on. [...]"
Click to expand...
Sounds like an excellent argument in favour of reintroduction, then. Unfortunately however, WTEs don't have much of an impact on pets, if at all (unless your pet is a duck, or a free-range goldfish). That's more of an issue with wolves, Golden Eagles, and Eagle Owls.
 
andyadcock said:
Clearly the group opposed to the reintroduction of Sea Eagles, will leap upon this article as proof of their claims that the birds take their livestock.

Two questions, is the image genuine and was the lamb alive or has the Eagle taken an already deceased animal which they are known to do? I wouldn't be at all surprised, knowing what we do about the behaviour of farmers in the UK in relation to wildlife, if this was actually a set up where a corpse has been laid out for this very purpose?

https://news.sky.com/story/sea-eagle-seizes-lamb-and-carries-it-off-in-scotland-11716231
Click to expand...

A Sea eagle can barely carry 2 kg straight from the ground. New-born lambs normally weigh 4-5 kg.
If the image is real, my guess is that the sheep was already dead (at birth) since it looks small.

Lamb are not the typical food source for Sea eagles.
(Dead) fish and such is the main diet (90%) with some occasional ducks/ducklings as well.
 
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andyadcock said:
Clearly the group opposed to the reintroduction of Sea Eagles, will leap upon this article as proof of their claims that the birds take their livestock.

Two questions, is the image genuine and was the lamb alive or has the Eagle taken an already deceased animal which they are known to do? I wouldn't be at all surprised, knowing what we do about the behaviour of farmers in the UK in relation to wildlife, if this was actually a set up where a corpse has been laid out for this very purpose?

https://news.sky.com/story/sea-eagle-seizes-lamb-and-carries-it-off-in-scotland-11716231
Click to expand...

There has been plenty of suspicious/ fabricated photographed evidence in the wake of the NE general licenses withdrawal/ scandal. Mainly to demonise corvids. I would imagine the chances of this being a genuine picture of an eagle carrying a live lamb are pretty close to zero. In this age of fake news however those who want to believe it will of course believe it. I think someone should counter with a similar (blatantly photoshopped) image of an eagle carrying off a child. Or perhaps a gammon-faced farmer. :t:

How to get across the argument that these birds mainly take the dead (or sometimes the dying)? Who can say? They are blinkard to the real facts.
 
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