The proposition to release White-tailed Eagles in Cumbria has been knocking around for a number of years now (e.g. see this feasibility report from 2022).
The Cumbrian White-tailed Eagle Project is being overseen by a credible steering group comprising the University of Cumbria, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, The Lifescape Project, RSPB, the Wildland Institute, the Lake District National Park Authority alongside local estate owners and managers.
According to the steering group, research has indicated that Cumbria has sufficient suitable habitat to support a population of White-tailed Eagles and the county is considered an important strategic location to encourage links between other populations in Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland and the south of England.
The group is conducting a social feasibility study, ‘to help us to understand attitudes and values, and the anticipated impacts of a potential white-tailed eagle reintroduction in Cumbria‘.
A questionnaire is available and is aimed at ‘individuals living in Cumbria and the surrounding area’. A further questionnaire for organisations is anticipated in the near future.
This isn’t the first survey of attitudes towards the release of White-tailed Eagles in Cumbria – it seems to be the latest in a long line (e.g. see here and here).
Whilst I’d welcome the sight of White-tailed Eagles in the Lake District, I do have reservations about this project (i.e. one of the requirements to justify the translocation of a species is that the species in question shouldn’t be able to get there of its own accord, e.g. through natural expansion of the population – see more commentary from me here). However, I applaud the project’s openness, transparency, and willingness to consult the public.
Not everyone is supportive of the proposed translocation, for very different reasons to mine. In response to the previous public consultations, the usual fact-free hysteria was whipped up about the supposed threat posed by the eagles to lambs and babies.
More recently, in response to the latest public consultation, this poster was on display at the Millom & Broughton Agricultural Show in the Lake District in August, from the Herdwick Sheep Breeders’ Association (thanks to a blog reader for sending it in):
This level of ignorance and ‘anti-eagle’ views in the UK, often promoted by idiotic journalists, is probably why so many of our native raptors continue to be illegally killed. It’s as if the last 50 years of successful raptor conservation projects never happened to those with this Victorian mindset.
The recent accusations that White-tailed Eagles ‘ate five Shetland ponies’ on South Uist recently is a perfect example. I’ll write more about that ludicrous claim shortly but it’s interesting to note that the Herdwick Sheep Breeders’ Association chose to include it on this poster.
If you’re local to Cumbria or the surrounding area, or even if you’re a visitor to the Lake District, please consider filling in the questionnaire to provide a more balanced and informed view. Closing date is Friday 31 Oct 2025.
Raptor Persecution UK 
Yes if they will be properly protected. No if it will be the same farce our other Raptors are subjected to.
It is clearly bonkers to reintroduce any species when we haven’t made killing wildlife illegal. I mean properly illegal, as
I think that if WTEs fancy moving to Cumbria, they will go there of their own volition, after all Britain is a small country, I don’t think I would want to advertise it to the Salem witch hunters
Totally agree. There have been some great reintroduction projects already but if the WTE want to move elsewhere, let them spread their wings! Living in the North Pennines I would love to see more of them up here but in their own time.
“There have been some great reintroduction projects already but if the WTE want to move elsewhere, let them spread their wings”
Nobody is officially stopping them… but they are not being ‘encouraged’.
Why are ‘some reintroductions’ great, but Eagles – in general – are not?
I would LOVE to say yes, but the main problem is, as any decent human being knows is the low intelligence, hunting shooting and fishing set will be quite happy to wantonly break the law and commit acts of shocking cruelty against beautiful creatures.
The other problem is that we have an either corrupt or incompetent police force. Corrupt if xxxxx xxxxx instructs his officers to turn a blind eye, because he’s friends with the farmers and hunting fraternity, or incompetent for reasons we are all aware of in every area of crime in the UK.
My immediate thoughts are that I hope they are successful, so long as the donor populations can withstand the strain. Introductions in Cumbria may accelerate the link up between the nascent populations in the Scottish borders and Northern Ireland, and even settle again in the Isle of Man.
I thought it a pity the Norfolk proposal was abandoned…
Somewhere in Wales would be nice…
I thought the Herdwick Sheep Breeders’ Association had a nerve pretending to care about fish and using that as an excuse ‘against’ on their poster “Will our native wildlife be at risk? Such as protected sea, rivers & lakes fish stocks” whilst (I have no doubt) being fine with fisherman. Protected!! By saying ‘fish stocks’ I take that as meaning ‘to be taken by fishing.’ The amount of fish that would be taken by a small population of Eagles couldn’t even be compared to the amount taken by fishing. I think it’s a bad (also unfair) reason ‘against’ for the ‘Herdwicks’ to have given. (but not as bad as some of the other reasons against you’ve just mentioned + hinted on)
The Herdwicks Ass might mean they care about fish in the way that they care there are enough of them to be taken by fishing – Sorry. But protectected?? Still, due to such a small amount that would be taken by WT Eagles a bad example of a reason against for them to have chosen.
I am glad you are going to post about the South Uist ponies. I used to work with the father of the complainant and the degree of ignorance amongst the local population in that area is beyond belief. I recall one local stating on camera that she believed her calves were at risk of predation. However. I have a deep suspicion that money is behind these ridiculous claims and these people will take every opportunity to attempt to be ‘compensated’ for their perceived losses.
I agree about there being ignorance amongst the local population but not all of them. There are also some very pro-eagle members of the local community. The late John Love, the champion of sea eagles, was one of them.
Cumbria is not a safe place for birds of prey or wildlife persecution is rife I agree with Paul’s comment until protection of birds of prey is taken seriously and legally no leave it alone . Just more to worry about and upset us. And if there’s money to be had they’ll be blamed
Yes – but only if accompanied by new laws that really mean something and will be enforced, to give them a decent bit of protection. As things stand I would say no – if it was me looking after them prior to release I would feel I was just releasing them to their deaths which I couldn’t personally do, maybe that’s just me
It’s not just you, sphagnum morose – I would feel exactly the same.
It’s a poor show if we can’t release a species into a new appropriate region because we expect them to be slaughtered by mindless people, but that seems to be the case.
The illegal persecution of raptors did not prevent us from re-introducing Red Kites to England (all over) and White-tailed Eagles (on the south coast)… Golden Eagles are on the cards, too…
White-tailed Eagles have recently been released in the South of Scotland…
There are other examples of species’ re-introductions, following extinctions – some of which were due to persecution…
I’m not aware of white-tailed eagles being recently released in the south of Scotland.
Can you please provide a link to this event?
“White-tailed Eagles have recently been released in the South of Scotland… ”
That is a slip on my part. White-tailed Eagles were released in Fife, but I was actually thinking of the recent Golden Eagle releases in the South of Scotland (but typed White-tailed instead:-(
I did object to the introduction of the eagles to Southern Scotland on the grounds that many would be slaughtered. Although there have been losses they are far less than I would have predicted. It may be that the circumstances are different in Cumbria.
it is clear that although there are risks the eagles, and those of us who care about them, should perhaps hope that there will be less persecution than we expect.
“I did object to the introduction of the eagles to Southern Scotland on the grounds that many would be slaughtered. Although there have been losses they are far less than I would have predicted. It may be that the circumstances are different in Cumbria.”
Looking at the best(?) maps I could find online, there appear to be far more grouse moors in southern Scotland than in Cumbria (almost none), although Cumbria is pretty close to the north Pennines where there are masses and masses of grouse moors.
I think neither White-tailed nor Golden Eagle present as much threat to breeding Red Grouse and their chicks as do Hen Harriers. Hence, a bit less pressure from that direction… Also, both Eagle species are enormous, and are, therefore, somewhat more difficult to illegally persecute (shoot) than the harder-to-spot Hen Harrier.
I would expect, therefore, that the larger hostility to any re-introduction of either Eagle species to come from the hill-sheep farming community.
New Study shows White-Tailed Eagles in Scotland do not rely on lambs for food during the Breeding Season:
https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/news/white-tailed-eagle-diet
Needless to say, already publicised here:
https://raptorpersecutionuk.org/2023/12/12/lambs-not-a-major-food-source-for-breeding-white-tailed-eagles-in-scotland-new-study/
To allay Scottish farmers’ fears, NatureScot run the Sea Eagle Management Scheme, which is not a direct compensation scheme, but does offer financial support for mitigation and preventative measures:
https://web.archive.org/web/20240305073456/https://www.nature.scot/doc/sea-eagle-management-scheme-annual-report-2022
(The National Library web archive is currently down due to IT issues… which limited my access:-(
I dare say English Nature could consider something similar?
To the general public, both Eagles species are far more iconic than the Hen Harrier (whose profile is known and appreciated FAR more by birders), so the opprobrium attached to any persecution incident is therefore greater. Obtaining sponsorship and names from ‘national treasures’ for individual introductions also adds to the ‘reputational damage’ of any illegal persecution.
So long as the donor population can stand the strain (and such things are usually very well managed) I remain in favour…
If they’ve already been released, they should find their own way around the island, filling in any niches, if there are any. I wonder though, how they would impact our native species of fish eating birds Ospreys, Kingfishers etc, and of course the fish, and so on.
I am a advocate for the natural world but I would say, regrettably its a no, Ospreys already fill that niche, but if they get there on their own violation, then look after them.
Sorry for any spelling mistakes I am a “low intelligence fishing set” and cannot easily form thoughts.
“I wonder though, how they would impact our native species of fish eating birds Ospreys, Kingfishers etc” and “I am a advocate for the natural world but I would say, regrettably its a no, Ospreys already fill that niche, but if they get there on their own violation, then look after them.”
Remember, White-tailed Eagles are native to the UK. They were once widespread but were hunted into extinction by 1780.
Also remember Ospreys, too, were hunted into extinction in the UK (mostly by fishermen – sorry) by 1916.
Therefore, before people drove these species into local extinctions, White-tailed Eagles and Ospreys – even Kingfishers etc – all lived together on this island.