Sea eagles and sheep farming ‘can co-exist without conflict’

Dogs were responsible for an attack on sheep on a farm in Munster and not white-tailed eagles, also called sea eagles, Allan Mee, white-tailed eagle project manager with the Golden Eagle Trust, has told the Irish Farmers Journal.

In last week’s Irish Farmers Journal, it was reported that eagles may have killed some sheep based on injuries to the neck of the sheep and, subsequently, the flock owner seeing an eagle on a dead sheep.

“Although we were unaware of this at the time, the farmer involved had reported the ‘attack’ to the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

This is a strong indicator that the attack was carried out by a dog(s), which typically go for the neck to subdue an animal

“Examination of photographs of the attack convinced us that this was a case of mistaken identity and that the attack had been carried out by a dog or dogs.

“All the photographs showed, as the farmer described in the Irish Farmers Journal article, serious wounds to the neck.

“This is a strong indicator that the attack was carried out by a dog(s), which typically go for the neck to subdue an animal.

“We also circulated the images to experts in Norway, including one expert who has dealt with attacks on livestock by everything from dogs to bears over the last 30 years.

“These experts concur that the attack was carried out by a dog(s) as these leave diagnostic teeth wounds – puncture wounds from the incisor teeth are paired and have a diagnostic gap, reflecting the jaw of a mammal unlike the talons or beak of an eagle,” Mee said.

Lambing and scavenging

Mee said that the Golden Eagle Trust’s experience of eagles is based on the fact that eagles have now been coexisting with sheep in hill sheep areas of Cork, Kerry, Clare and Galway for over 10 years.

Eagles can and do nest near to lambing areas in some parts of their range without conflict, he said.

“During this time, we have had no such attacks or evidence of any such attacks. Eagles will, however, come to sheep carcases to scavenge dead animals and may be attracted by the activity of other scavengers, such as crows and ravens.

“Although the area where the attack took place is not anywhere near known eagle nests in Ireland, it is possible a bird turned up to scavenge dead sheep and was flushed off the carcase.

Clearly, the loss of well-grown lambs or adult sheep is highly distressing for the farmer involved

“This seems to be the most likely explanation of what happened in this case,” he said.

“Clearly, the loss of well-grown lambs or adult sheep is highly distressing for the farmer involved and it would have helped greatly if concerns were addressed directly by a farm visit to identify the cause of death and what could be done to prevent further losses,” Mee said.

He added that dog attacks may be local in their effect but are obviously devastating for individual farmers.

Co-operation

“Despite the concerns expressed, we have worked closely with and had great co-operation and help from farmers over the years which we feel often goes unreported.

“Two of our white-tailed eagle nest sites in Kerry and on Lough Derg in Clare have been monitored by farmers.

“It goes without saying that neither the white-tailed eagle reintroduction in Kerry nor the golden eagle reintroduction in Donegal would be successful without the co-operation of farmers,” he said.