Hampshire police investigate third sea eagle death from Isle of Wight conservation project
POLICE are investigating the death of sea eagle from a group reintroduced to the Isle of Wight, with several other deaths under investigation in surrounding counties.
Hampshire Constabulary said a dead eagle was reported on Bowcombe Road, on the island on February 24.
It comes as Dorset Police continues to investigate the deaths of two white-tailed eagles that were discovered in January.
The latest death is not being linked to any other investigations, a Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said.
The birds are part of an ongoing conservation project run by Forestry England and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, which has seen at least six birds released annually on the Isle of Wight since 2019.
In a joint statement, they said: ‘Circumstances surrounding the sudden death of the bird are being investigated by Hampshire police and partners.
‘During a post-mortem examination it has been identified that the bird was carrying avian influenza, although it is unknown at this stage if this related to the bird's death and inquiries are continuing.’
Reintroductions of white-tailed eagles have faced controversy amid concerns that they could prey on lambs, but experts have said there is no evidence of this being a problem where they live alongside lowland sheep farming in Europe.
A project to reintroduce the eagles on the Norfolk coast scheduled to start in 2022 was put on hold last autumn.
The birds – which include bald eagles as a species – are all fitted with GPS tracking devices, allowing their flight paths to be monitored.
They are the UK's largest bird of prey, with a wingspan of up to 8ft.