White-tailed eagles to be released in national park

A national park is planning to release more white-tailed eagles into the area to support conservation efforts for the species.

The Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation and Forestry England have been reintroducing white-tailed eagles into southern England since 2019 and plan to release a small number in Exmoor National Park.

A total of 37 eagles have been released through the project and in 2023 a pair bred successfully for the first time.

Zoe Smith, of the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, said: "The brilliant thing is we've seen what positive impact this bird has had on the ecosystem."

White-tailed eagles are the largest bird of prey in the UK, with a wing span of 8.2ft (2.5m)

The young birds appear brown all over and it is not until their fourth or fifth year that they develop a white tail and yellow bill.

"Since 2019 we've been releasing white tailed eagles on the Isle of Wight and that project has gone really well," Ms Smith said.

"Exmoor has been identified as an area they really like," she added.

"They have a long stretch of coastal woodland and moorland. They also have a lot of prey on Exmoor."

Rich Eales, a ranger for Exmoor National Park, said the bird used to breed in Exmoor.

"You look at a lot of place names along the coast and they mean things like eagle ridge, so the clue is in the name," he said.

"In the 1700s, if you were lucky to live by the coast you could get your hands on some quality fish like bass that were reserved for the high classes," he added.

"The eagles were persecuted because they were a threat to our fish stock."

Exmoor National Park plans to host engagement events to share how the project is progressing.

Steve Egerton-Read from Forestry England said: “White-tailed eagles are a truly iconic species. The positive reaction that people have had to them since the reintroduction project began in 2019 has been incredible."