White-tailed eagles to be released in Exmoor despite farmer warnings

White-tailed eagles, the UK's largest bird of prey, will be released across Exmoor National Park after the government approved the latest stage in a controversial national reintroduction scheme.

Up to 20 birds, which are also known as sea eagles and were once extinct in the UK, will be released over three years from this summer.

However, there are concerns that the predators could threaten sheep in the area. One farmer in Scotland, where the eagles were reintroduced in 1975, advised those in Exmoor to fight the plans "tooth and nail" or risk losing lambs to the birds.

Natural England, which approved the plans on Wednesday, stated that the reintroduction would be "carefully planned" alongside local landowners.

The eagles, which have a wingspan of up to 2.4m (8ft), have already been observed visiting Exmoor since the birds were released on the Isle of Wight seven years ago. They have since expanded their territories along the south coast.

All birds released in Exmoor will be fitted with satellite tags. A project team, led by Forestry England and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, will track their locations and study their progress.

Steve Egerton-Read, white-tailed eagle project manager at Forestry England, expressed hope that their release would help to boost numbers "and continue their spread across southern England".

Ali Hawkins, senior ecologist with Exmoor National Park Authority, said the project's backers were "committed to continuing to work with farmers and other stakeholders, to support them in adapting to this species fledging on Exmoor once again".

White-tailed eagles were once widespread throughout Britain and Ireland but habitat loss and human persecution led to their disappearance by 1918.

The first successful reintroduction of the birds began in 1975 on the Isle of Rum, in Scotland's Inner Hebrides. However, their return has not always been welcomed.

Some Scottish farmers report losing tens of thousands of pounds of livestock each year as the eagles prey on vulnerable lambs.

Ricky Rennie, a fourth-generation farmer on Garvachy Farm, near Minard, Argyll, has been dealing with the impact of white-tailed eagles since 2018. In the worst year, 2024, he estimates he lost two-thirds of his lambs to the eagles, resulting in an estimated annual loss of up to £30,000.

He urged farmers in Exmoor to "fight" to prevent the birds' release, stating, "If they're coming in naturally, there's not much you can do about it, but if they're trying to introduce them, I'd be fighting it tooth and nail - because they will eventually put farms out of business."

Andrew Connon, president of the National Farmers' Union Scotland, advised, "Any Exmoor release must learn from Scottish experience and ensure that farmers are supported within their existing farm systems to embed strong safeguards for livestock from the outset."

Lamb predation is being closely monitored in Scotland, and farmers are receiving some financial assistance in managing and mitigating risks to their flocks.

The extent to which white-tailed eagles kill lambs, versus mostly taking carcasses of already dead animals, remains a point of disagreement between many farmers and conservationists.

A survey of farmers and land managers in Cumbria, North Yorkshire, and Durham, published this month by the NFU, found that 85% of respondents were against a proposed reintroduction.

A spokeswoman for the National Sheep Association (NSA) confirmed the organisation has "concerns when new white-tailed sea eagle releases are discussed".

The NSA has called for a full impact assessment of white-tailed eagle reintroductions, "taking into account farm viability and mental health" before further releases proceed.

NSA chairman Peter Delbridge, a sixth-generation farmer on Exmoor, told the BBC, "We don't want to reach the situation where the genie is out of the bottle and we're experiencing losses but because they are a protected bird we won't be able to deal with it ourselves."

How to recognise a white-tailed eagle: - Brown body with a noticeably pale head and neck, which can become almost white in older birds - Enormous, broad wings – much broader than a golden eagle's – with fingered ends - Huge, chunky yellow beak (dark in juveniles) and yellow feet - Adults have white tail feathers, as their name suggests - Soars with wings held flat, rather than in a 'V' shape like golden eagles

Source: RSPB