Outrage as golden eagle is found poisoned on Deeside grouse moor

A RARE golden eagle was deliberately poisoned in an attempt to protect grouse, it emerged yesterday.

The body of the protected bird was discovered by a hillwalker on a Royal Deeside grouse moor and experts said the killing will affect eagle breeding in Scotland for years.

Tests have confirmed that the carcase contained traces of carbofuran, a pesticide that is banned in the UK.

Police and officials with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) believe that the was targeted by a gamekeeper to stop it killing grouse.

Dave Dick, a senior investigations officer with the RSPB, said: "I never use the phrase accidental poisoning because there's no question of the bird picking it up by accident.

"In this case, the poison is totally banned from use and it's an offence to even possess it," he said.

"It seems incredible to think that anyone would want to harm such a beautiful and rare bird - but I can assure you that people would go to great lengths to protect game.

"This is an extremely difficult crime to investigate and we just want someone to stand up and be counted."

Under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004, poisoning birds of prey can carry a six-month jail sentence or a 5,000 fine.

The bird was discovered in May between Banchory and Braemar, in Aberdeenshire.

Constable David MacKinnon, a wildlife crime officer with Grampian Police, said: "All crimes against wildlife are disappointing, but this incident is even more so due to the species involved.

"Based on the low population of these specially-protected birds, this incident will have a significant effect on the population."

There are about 18 breeding pairs of golden eagles in the Grampian area and 430 breeding pairs in Scotland.

Mr MacKinnon said that some gamekeepers were known to use illegal poison to kill birds such as buzzards or crows, who steal the eggs of grouse and other game birds.

He added: "We are treating this very seriously - I have been involved in wildlife crime for ten years and this is only the second case of a poisoned golden eagle I have come across. There will be people who will know what has been going on and we will investigate this rigorously.

"At the time the eagle was found, it would have potentially had chicks.

"One eagle normally goes to get food while the other sits on the nest and if there is no food coming back, then the other bird will take flight."

Investigators appealed to hillwalkers, ramblers and bird watchers to report anything suspicious, including dead birds of prey and any poisoned baits.

Mr Dick added: "It is not just a few conservationists who get upset when eagles get killed: golden eagles attract tourists and anybody poisoning them is helping wreck the tourist economies of these areas."

Dr Ken Hunter, of the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency, said the number of wildlife poisoning incidents in Scotland this year was "relatively high". The agency has recorded 20 incidents so far this year compared with 19 during all of 2005.

He said: "These are the levels of confirmed incidents; they don't necessarily reflect all the cases that take place."

A Scottish Executive spokeswoman said: "Wildlife crime is serious crime, particularly when it affects such iconic species as the golden eagle."