Reintroduced White-tailed Eagles found dead
Two White-tailed Eagles from the Isle of Wight reintroduction scheme have been found dead, sparking a police investigation.
The birds were discovered in suspicious circumstances during multi-agency operations on game-shooting estates in the south of England, with one found in Dorset in late January.
The White-tailed Eagle found dead in Dorset (Dorset Police).
It is unclear where the second individual was found, although there have been rumours the bird in question is 'G408' – a male that spent much of 2021 in the Arun Valley in West Sussex before vanishing in mid-October. There have however been two reports of a White-tailed Eagle in West Sussex this month.
Police have launched an investigation to ascertain the causes of death, with toxicological examination to take place. Three other White-tailed Eagles from the Isle of Wight programme are currently in Dorset.