Yesterday, conservationists celebrated a fledgling eaglet with a name chosen by Sir David Attenborough. The bird is the first eaglet to fledge from the nest of a translocated golden eagle.
Sir David, who described the landmark moment as a ‘wonderful achievement’, chose the name Princeling, which means ‘young prince’ (the video below shows him being tagged). The regal-sounding baby bird was hatched by his somewhat less regal-sounding parents: Emma, a golden eagle translocated by the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project in 2021, and Keith, a locally fledged bird from Galloway.
Golden eagles, often described as the ‘King of the Skies’, play a vital role as an apex predator, but in the past two centuries, numbers in the south of Scotland had slipped to perilously low levels. At one point, there were only three breeding pairs left.
In response, the Golden Eagle Project, in collaboration with The Southern Upland Partnership, Scottish Land and Estates, RSPB Scotland, NatureScot and Scottish Forestry began translocating the animals to help reinforce the dwindling population. Over the space of five years, chosen eaglets, with the future of their species’ survival on their wings, were transferred to custom-built aviaries in confidential locations and then released, first into the Moffat Hills and then further south.
The number of golden eagles soaring majestically through southern Scottish skies now totals 50 — the most in 300 years. Some have even ventured into northern England; well in advance of plans, overseen by environment secretary Steve Reed, to formally reintroduce them there too.
The gargantuan bird has in effect been extinct from England for 150 years owing to persecution from farmers and gamekeepers — some of whom are likely to oppose the findings of a study by Forestry England, due to be published in the coming months, that is expected to conclude that there is habitat and prey capacity to support a new population.
Golden eagles predominantly feast on smaller mammals and birds, but have been known to predate on lambs; in the USA, they’ve even been known to snatch small pet dogs.
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Bare roots: How to find the perfect rose and how to plant itTabi Jackson Gee moved to a cottage in Wiltshire, and went about finding the perfect rose to bring light and colour to the garden.
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Flying backwards, pink milk, and holding your breath. A Country Life quiz of animal factsDo you know the difference between a bobbit worm and a mantis shrimp? You will soon.
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'It is hard to beat the excitement of watching a peregrine you have trained stoop from 1,000ft, going more than 100mph' — the complicated world of falconryA combination of spellbinding sport and profound empathetic connection, falconry–a partnership in which the bird maintains the upper hand–offers a window into ‘the deeper magic’.
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What is everyone talking about this week: More than half the country owns a pet and nearly half our marriages end in divorce — no wonder pet-nups are on the risePet-nups, a formal agreement between couples over what should happen to their pets in the event of a split, are on the rise.
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Haute dogs: How fashion’s finest would dress 11 dogs and one very spoilt cat if only they had the chanceWe’ve matched some much-loved breeds to the designers that share their history, temperament and vibe — because why not. Illustrations by Tug Rice.
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Baby, it’s cold outside (even if you have a natural fur coat): How our animals brave the winter chillWhen the temperature drops, how do Britain’s birds, beasts and plants keep the cold at bay? John Lewis-Stempel reveals Nature’s own thermals.
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Yorkshire’s bravest and most charming gentleman — the Airedale terrierBred on Yorkshire’s riverbanks to face otters, snakes and even enemy fire, the Airedale has gone from the trenches of war to the hearts and homes of presidents and movie stars.
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Dangerous beasts (and where to find them): Britain's animals that are best left aloneJohn Lewis-Stempel provides a miscellany of our otherwise benign land’s more fearsome critters.
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A true gent lets his hair down on a Wednesday: Inside our Savile Row party to celebrate the publication of Gentleman's Life'The party marked the ten-year anniversary of Gentleman's Life and it was, fittingly, a party for the ages.'
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From the Caribbean with love: The other James Bond who wrote the definitive guide to tropical birdsThe Caribbean plays host to a brilliant spectrum of colourful avians, says John Lewis-Stempel, as he revels in a birdwatcher’s paradise. Illustrations by Annabelle King.
