Crofters blame eagles for rise in lamb losses

[Sickener]

I couldn't agree more, and the sooner some farmers realise that they place "their" animals and crops in nature, rather than nature being an inconvenience to them, the better.

[rlchew]

Further to the "WTEs eat lambs" controversy, an independent study funded by Scottish Natural Heritage is to be carried out to investigate whether WTEs are responsible for the claimed large losses of lambs in the Highlands of Scotland ....

BBC NEWS | Scotland | Highlands and Islands | Study to examine sea eagle claims

Richard

[muscardinus]

OK, let's say the odd lamb is taken here and there, surely the answer is to provide a compensation package for the farmers? I believe this is being done with shepherds that lose animals to brown bears in Spain, and also with snow leopards, so why not for sea eagles? A lamb has a value and so does a sea eagle.

I wonder if this approach would work better? It would put the onus on farmers to demonstrate they have suffered a loss, though I'm not sure how they'd do that. What do people think?

[The Woodman]

SNH is issuing more licences to control ravens who are apparently doing more damage to lambs than ever. There is a record of ravens killing a calf.

I've seen ravens in Cumbria attack lambs by pecking their eyes out and getting into the body cavity via the backend. If this is happening in Scotland then the carrion scavengers (sea and golden eagles) will soon be on the scene to clear up.