A SCOTTISH white-tailed eagle has been relocated to the Isle of Wight as part of a reintroduction project.
The young bird was collected by Forestry & Land Scotland (FLS), under a licence from Scottish Natural Heritage.
It is one of seven birds being reintroduced to the South of England by Forestry England and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation.
White-tailed eagles – the UK’s largest bird, with a wingspan of more than two metres – are also known as sea eagles.
They have been absent from the Isle of Wight for 240 years.
Kenny Kortland, a wildlife ecologist with FLS, said: “This is the latest in a succession of reintroductions that we’ve been involved with.
“We’ve worked with Roy before to get ospreys returned to parts of England, and we’ve also helped the Vincent Wildlife Trust in a two year programme to return pine martens to Wales and to The Forest of Dean.”
Closer to home FLS – previously known as Forestry Commission Scotland – has also been involved in reintroducing white-tailed eagles to Scotland’s east coast, bringing water voles back to the Trossachs, hosting the Knapdale beaver trial and returning red squirrels to privately-owned forests on the Scotland’s west coast.
Read more nature stories on Scottish Field’s wildlife pages.
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