Golden eagle found with 17 shotgun pellets lodged in body after satellite tracker revealed unusual behaviour
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A golden eagle has been found with at least 17 shotgun pellets lodged in her body, after her satellite tracker revealed an unusual pattern of behaviour.
Squeagle was moved from the Outer Hebrides to the Scottish Borders in February, as part of ongoing efforts to grow the bird's numbers in the South of Scotland.
After her release in the Lammermuir Hills, the four-year-old bird - who is fitted with a satellite tag which allows her movements to be monitored - travelled through parts of northern England, including Northumberland, the Pennines and the Yorkshire Dales.
But a photograph taken in Northumberland on May 4th, showed significant damage to her wing feathers.
And, on June 1st, gamekeepers on an estate in the Lammermuirs became concerned after noticing iconic bird behaving unusually and contacted Restoring Upland Nature (RUN) - the charity behind the translocation project.
Squeagle was collected and taken to the Scottish SPCA’s National Wildlife Rescue Centre at Fishcross for assessment.
Scans and treatment revealed she had been shot and had at least 17 shotgun pellets lodged in her body and wings.
Experts believe the injuries were not recent, as the wounds had already healed.
Detective Sergeant David Lynn, Police Scotland's National Wildlife Crime Coordinator said: “This was a serious attack on a protected bird of prey which I utterly condemn.
"Thanks to the quick actions of those who reported concerns, the golden eagle was able to receive specialist treatment and has since been returned to the wild. We are working with partners across Scotland and northern England to establish where and when she was shot.
“Following treatment by veterinary specialists at the Scottish SPCA, Squeagle was released back into the wild on Saturday, June 6th.
"Her condition will continue to be monitored through observations and detailed analysis of satellite tracking.
“Enquiries remain ongoing, and we are working alongside our colleagues in Northumberland, Durham, Cumbria and North Yorkshire, supported by the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit to establish who was responsible.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland, quoting incident number 1361 of June 5th.
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It's the latest in a series of suspicious incidents involving the protected bird.
In January, another our-year-old golden eagle - this one named Hamlet - was found injured by a gamekeeper on an estate in Stanhope, near Peebles - and vets confirmed he'd been hit by shotgun pellets.
Ross Ewing, Director of Moorland and Strategic Projects at Scottish Land & Estates, said: “We would urge anyone with information about what happened to Squeagle to come forward and assist the police investigation. This is a distressing case and the priority now must be to establish exactly how Squeagle came to be injured.
“It is also right to recognise the actions of the gamekeepers in the Lammermuirs, who immediately raised the alarm when they saw Squeagle was in difficulty. That prompt intervention, alongside the knowledge and care of Restoring Upland Nature and the Scottish SPCA, has ensured Squeagle could be successfully returned to the wild.”
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