EXPERTS are hoping to save the Golden Eagle from extinction in the south of Scotland after receiving a £1 million boost to breeding projects.
The iconic species is associated with the Highlands and Islands, but two to four pairs are through to be clinging on in the south of the country. However they have limited nesting success.
Just across the border it was reported in the spring that England’s only resident golden eagle was likely to have died after failing to appear.
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The bird, which had been a resident at Riggindale near Haweswater, Cumbria, since 2001, had not seen by RSPB staff since last November, and would normally have been spotted months ago, building a nest and displaying to attract a mate.
North of the border the lottery-backed scheme aims to increase numbers up to 16 pairs in Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders, with the potential to release eagle chicks into the wild in the years ahead.
CCTV ‘eagle cams’ will give the public an opportunity to keep an eagle eye on the chicks as they grow.
The South of Scotland Golden Eagle project has been awarded a ‘first round pass’ of £1,150,500 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) including a development grant of £50,900.
The initiative has the support of Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, Roseanna Cunningham MSP, who said:
“We know that the area could potentially support more than a dozen pairs of eagles, which offers tremendous opportunities for wildlife tourism and biodiversity.”
Work is planned to examine how food supplies could be improved and nest sites made secure. The project will identify additional habitat management measures that may be needed, and if necessary, consider prospects for bringing eaglets into the area for release to reinforce the existing population.
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Lucy Casot, Head of HLF in Scotland, said:
“HLF is delighted to give its initial support to a project which will help the return of this marvellous bird of prey to the skies of the south of Scotland
The HLF also awarded a grant: £4,461,800 the Seven Lochs Partnership to help create Scotland’s largest urban nature park spanning the Glasgow City and North Lanarkshire boundary.
The Coighach & Assynt Living Landscapes Partnership gets £2.9m to restore parts of the landscape, including regenerating and reconnecting the remaining native woodland, in that area of north west Scotland.
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The River Forth Fisheries Trust has been awarded a grant of £1,658,700 encourage local residents to take stewardship of the Almond and Avon rivers, improving the natural heritage for both the wildlife and community use.
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