Golden eagle project wins top award

A golden eagle initiative in Scotland has been given a prestigious ecology award for its progress on boosting population numbers.

The South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project (SSGEP) has been handed the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) Tony Bradshaw Award for outstanding best practice.

The award celebrates “outstanding work of ecologists and environmental managers” and is given to “exceptional projects that set an overall impressively high standard”.

SSGEP was noted as the first in the UK to successfully translocate free-flying young golden eagles – aged between six months and three years – to improve numbers.

These new additions brought the total number of golden eagles in the south of Scotland to around 33 which the team claim is the highest number recorded in the region in the last three centuries.

The released eagles have all settled in the area, with frequent sightings of interactions including with other native eagles.

Michael Clark, chairman of the SSGEP board, said: “This is testament to the hard work of our pioneering project team and the support of all our partners – from ecologists, raptor experts, vets, funders, landowners and land managers to 14,000plus community volunteers and special project participants.

Before the initiative began, the team at the SSGEP said there were between two and four pairs of golden eagles across Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders.

A study by NatureScot showed that the local habitat is suitable for up to 16 pairs.