Satellite tags to protect Scotland’s Golden Eagle chicks
Three Scottish golden eagle chicks have become the first in Scotland to be fitted with new high tech satellite tags that can send a distress signal and exact location if they come to harm.
The iconic raptors were fitted with cutting edge "Celltrack" tags this summer in three locations in the Cairngorms National Park.The high tech devices use a dual communication system to provide data in real time over the mobile phone network as well as through a network of satellites.The information promises to provide a better understanding of the movements and habitat preferences of the birds. Crucially, they also have an inbuilt alert system if a bird displays "unusual behaviour" or has died, and will send a distress signal with accurate locations so that the team monitoring the bird can mount a rapid response.Dr Pete Mayhew, the Cairngorms National park Authority's (CNPA) Director of Nature and Climate Change, said: "These tags will give us a much clearer understanding of how eagles are moving around the park, where they are roosting at night and so on."It also means that we can react quicker if we get a signal. We would hope that within a few minutes of a mortality event we would know precisely where and when it happened. If a crime happens, this should give us a lot more information."The partnership project has been developed and funded by the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) and NatureScot, who provided a £15,000 grant.Research ecologist Dr Ewan Weston, who has been in charge of tagging the golden eagle chicks under licence, said: "Having been involved in fitting tags to eagles for 14 years, the technological advances in the tags we use now bring data that was previously unimaginable."The data we receive feeds into wider research on the species and covers aspects of golden eagle biology and environment, providing an insight into aspects of their lives in incredible detail."This work has included aspects of their dispersal behaviour, interaction with the landscape and developments such as wind farms."The golden eagle is Scotland's national bird of prey, with more than 500 pairs thought to be flying north of the Border. While the species has slowly recovered since the lows of 19th century persecution, birds still fall victim to crime in parts of the country.Research in 2017 found that of 131 young golden eagles tracked by satellite over a 12 year period from 2004-2016, 41 had disappeared (presumed dead) in suspicious circumstances.As recently as March this year, a young golden eagle was found poisoned to death on the Invercauld Estate in the Cairngorms National Park. It was found next to a dead hare that had been laced with pesticide.Will Anderson, Chief Executive of Seafield & Strathspey Estate, one of the partners in the project, said: "We are pleased to be partnering with the Park Authority in this initiative as the type and volume of data collected is likely to be incredibly beneficial to be able to plan for the future with the birds' needs in mind."Fraser Cormack, RSPB Warden on the Abernethy Estate, which is also involved in the trial, added: "These tags provide could be crucial in helping to stop such crimes."