Press release from National Parks & Wildlife Service (30 May 2025)
Minister O’Sullivan calls for co-operation in the investigation of the possible poisoning of a white-tailed eagle
The National Parks & Wildlife Service appeals to the public for information
An investigation is underway following the discovery of one of Ireland’s oldest breeding white-tailed eagles, Caimin (Y) who was found dead in Clare last Saturday. Initial post mortem results from the Regional Veterinary Laboratory indicate a possible death from poisoning.
Caimin held territory at the Mountshannon nest site on Lough Derg for the past seventeen years. During that time, he mated and fledged a number of chicks. He was one of the first chicks to arrive as part of an NPWS Reintroduction Programme to bring back this formerly extinct species to Irish skies and was released from Killarney National Park in 2008. All of the white-tailed eagle chicks reintroduced under the programme are fitted with satellite tags, which enables them to be monitored and tracked.
In 2013, Camin mated with Saoirshe, a female eagle who was also part of the Reintroduction Programme. They became the first white-tailed eagles to successfully raise and fledge chicks in the wild in Ireland in over one hundred years. Caimin raised and fledged chicks into the wild until 2016, when Saoirshe died of Avian Influenza. He held the territory and mated again with Bernardine (B) in 2023 to successfully fledge more chicks to the wild from the same nest site in Mountshannon. Despite the loss of her mate, Bernardine is continuing to raise a chick on the nest site in Mountshannon.
Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan said:
“Any loss in the wild not due to natural causes, is usually the result of human activity and this tragic loss of a wonderfully aged bird, breeding happily in the Irish wild, is deeply regrettable.
“The Reintroduction Programme had been making significant progress in restoring this lost flagship species to Irish skies. These birds are part of Ireland’s natural heritage and are important for our biodiversity, as they are a good indicator species regarding the health of our ecosystems.
“We will continue with our efforts to introduce, nurture and protect these birds and I have tasked the NPWS with leaving no stone unturned to try to get to the bottom of this heinous potential crime.”
Eamonn Meskell, Divisional Manager, NPWS said:
“The knowing destruction of this wonderful bird of prey displays a wanton disregard for our re-introduction and nature protection efforts.
“These noble birds are beloved of the public and each loss is keenly felt by them and indeed by the staff of NPWS who have nurtured these birds from chicks to fledglings, onto adult life and into successfully breeding pairs. We know we can rely on the public’s help in this investigation”.
The main threat to the species in Ireland is persecution, predominantly through shooting and the illegal use of poison and wind turbine strikes. The misuse/illegal use of poisons accounts for nearly 50% of eagle deaths where the cause of mortality was able to be determined. Other causes of death include wind turbine strikes, lead shot poisoning and shooting. Avian Influenza and adverse weather also negatively impacted the breeding population.
If you have any information, please notify your local Garda station or your local National Parks and Wildlife Service office.
ENDS
Raptor Persecution UK 
Words, words words. What good is that? They need to take real action. Confiscate all guns, abolish shooting and anyone with poison no doubt illegal and outlawed anyway gets 25 years jail no remission. You wanna make people believe you are serious about persecution of protected wildlife and especially birds of prey stop pussyfooting around and SHOW YOU MEAN IT!
Absolutely right. The days of cross words, shock and horror are over. If these wicked, evil men are prepared to kill nature’s finest creatures then the gloves are off xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
Terrible shame. It’s never-ending. If it does prove to be poisoning it could well have been worse. In the presumed scenario it appears likely that he had fed from a bait before taking it to the nest. Had he done so there could well have been three casualties.
What exactly will happen? Even if poisoning is proven, what will happen? The truth is that nothing will, as always.
Talk, talk, talk with hand wringing and polite criticism of the suspects.
Only direct action, and firm action will stop this wicked crime. Imprisonment for a lot time, with huge fines. Either that or groups of ordinary people are likely to take the law into their own hands.
So who are you going to take direct and firm action against? Problem is that we rarely get a ‘starter for ten’ in these cases. A culprit needs to be identified and CPS (or the Irish equivalent in this case) needs to be satisfied that there is a sufficient level of evidence to allow the case to proceed.
I am, personally, all too familiar with cases such as this one where birds which have been under my care and protection at some juncture have died or been critically injured through the deliberate actions of a law-breaker. I have lost count of the numbers involved except for one – the number of people appearing in court. Just one in over 30 years involvement. That case involved an incredible stroke of luck in which two expert witnesses saw the offence being committed. You don’t get that lucky very often!
All of you have made excellent valid comments it’s so shocking and sad I’m speechless and devastated it’s never ending this deliberate unacceptable cruelty and disrespect for any creature is just unacceptable. Things have to change no must mean no and serious sentences dished out stop all the pussy footing around.
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