Wildlife

Golden Eagle Scottish Highlands Welfare

Golden eagles occupy vast territories in the Scottish Highlands and face welfare threats from illegal persecution, poisoning and habitat degradation.

Key Facts

Scotland holds around 500 pairs of golden eagles - the vast majority of UK population
Home ranges can exceed 100 square kilometres in upland areas
Illegal persecution including shooting and poisoning remains a significant problem
Satellite tagging reveals many eagles disappear in managed grouse moor areas
Golden eagles are extremely sensitive to human disturbance at nest sites

Welfare Considerations

Persecuted eagles experience violent deaths from shooting or slow poisoning from ingesting poisoned baits. Nest disturbance during incubation causes egg chilling and breeding failure. The welfare of individual eagles is directly linked to land management practices on grouse moors.

What You Can Do

Support RSPB and Raptor Study Group campaigns against raptor persecution
Report suspected eagle poisoning incidents to police and RSPB
Advocate for vicarious liability legislation for landowners whose staff kill raptors
Support satellite tracking programmes that document persecution hotspots