MP wants sea eagles culled to save lambs

An MP has called for a cull of Britain’s largest bird of prey after blaming them for killing his neighbour’s lambs.

Angus Macneil branded sea eagles – which can have a wingspan of up to 8ft – ‘lamb eagles’.

The SNP Western Isles MP posted images online of the two dead lambs, adding: ‘Ugly work of the lamb eagle – commonly known as the sea eagle – on healthy four-day-old lambs today.’

Mr Macneil, a crofter on his native Isle of Barra, said eagles numbers were being kept ‘artificially high’ and they should be culled in hotspots where they target lambs.

The Uk population of sea eagles was wiped out by the early 20th century.

However, they have been reintroduced to Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of Wight over more than 40 years.

In Scotland there are now around 130 breeding pairs.

But predictions that their population could surge has caused alarm among some sheep farmers and crofters.

They say the birds not only take large numbers of lambs but threaten rural livelihoods.

Mr Macneil said it was ‘shocking’ that in the coming decades there could be an estimated 400 breeding pairs. He added: ‘This re-introduction has got out of control. They need to be culled in a humane way in certain areas. They are taking people’s livelihoods.

‘Crofters and farmers are losing hundreds of pounds and the eagles are threatening crofting as a way of life. The trouble is when they were reintroduced there were large numbers of rabbits to feed on, but that population’s fallen so they have turned increasingly to lambs.’ lewis crofter donald MacSween – who became a TV hit introducing comedian Romesh Ranganathan to crofting – replied saying: ‘Thanks for posting this. It’s important people know the impact.’

Sea eagles were reintroduced in Scotland in 1975, starting on Rum, with 82 juveniles.

But in 2008 crofters across the Highlands were claiming that the birds had killed more than 200 lambs.

Conservationists maintain that sea eagles take few lambs and bring in millions of pounds to the economy from tourism.

Compensation and advice to crofters and farmers is offered through the Sea eagle Management Scheme funded by natureScot, formerly Scottish natural Heritage. The scheme’s budget has risen from £72,000 in 2015 to £225,000 in 2020.

A natureScot spokesman said: ‘Sea eagles were once widespread across Britain, until they were wiped out as a result of persecution in the early 20th century.

‘The reintroduction of these native birds to Scotland has been successful and benefits tourism.’

He added: ‘We understand the concerns of farmers and crofters and continue to work closely with them. A cull is not being considered.’

‘Taking people’s livelihoods’