Fury as islander calls for sea eagle cull (UK)

[Donna]

A SCOTS airfield boss has provoked outrage after demanding a cull of Scotland's sea eagles.

David Howitt spoke out after it was revealed that numbers of white-tailed sea eagles have hit a new high since they were reintroduced 35 years ago.

But Howitt, who manages Isle of Mull airfield, said: "I believe it is only a matter of time before one of these large powerful birds with their giant wingspan picks up an unattended baby or toddler and carries it off. "What an outcry there will be then. They are dangerous beasts."

But The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Scotland have dismissed his fears as "fantasy".

Howitt, 70, a former hotelier and author who has lived in Aros, Mull, for 50 years, said: "It will sound like heresy to these woolly-jumpered bird-huggers who regard the sea eagles as sacred.

"But our forefathers, in the shape of landowners, gamekeepers, farmers and crofters, weren't daft.

"They knew what they were doing when they shot or poisoned our native sea eagle population to extinction.

"They can carry off lambs, goat kids, young pigs, chickens and other small farm livestock.

"Fish farmers have to install expensive netting to protect their salmon from them.

"Since they arrived on Mull seven or eight years ago I have not seen a single hare on the island.

"They pick up prey like hares, rabbits or lambs in their sharp talons and carry them almost 100ft into the air before dropping them to the ground to kill the animals.

"They are then carried off to the nests and devoured."

The eagles' benefit to Mull tourism has been calculated at £2million a year and the birds featured on the BBC's Autumnwatch last week.

Viewers learned that 46 young birds fledged last year, 10 more than the previous year, and there are now 52 breeding pairs in Scotland.

RSPB officer Dave Sexton said: "Sea eagles carrying off children is all part of the bird's myth and folklore.

"People who don't like sea eagles tend to exaggerate their strength and energy."

And RSPB Scotland's James Reynolds added: "A very small minority seems intent on destroying this iconic bird of prey's reputation by confusing fact with fiction.

"Stories of eagles snatching children and babies are quite simply fantasy.

"This species has been hugely beneficial to large parts of the country, acting as a tourist magnet pulling in visitors from across the globe."

Sea eagles - whose wingspan is up to 8ft - were reintroduced to Rum in 1975 and there are now 10 pairs on Mull.

Dave Sexton added: "Autumn and winter is a great time to see sea eagles on Mull. They are out and about looking for food - usually lots of carrion and fish.

"This year was a landmark for sea eagles in the west of Scotland. Mull and Skye are critically important because the sea eagles there populate other parts of Scotland."

Birdwatchers can now see them soaring over areas as far apart as the Outer Hebrides, Shetland Isles and Dumfries & Galloway.

Daily Record: (UK)Nov 7 2010 Alan Dow, Sunday Mail

[MAK]

Why can't people leave nature alone? Sheesh! 

[Donna]

Why can't people leave nature alone? Sheesh!  

Cuz they don't want the Eagles snatching their children, I guess. (MYTH) anyway.

[Bird Crazy]

shame one didn't snatch him when he was a toddler huh. What a dorkus