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.
-
Suit yourself: I’m a 49 year-old man-about-town and I’ve never owned a suitWhen Hugh Smithson-Wright turned up to Country Life's annual Gentleman's Life party sans suit, it sparked a passionate conversation about why the formal fashion just isn't for everyone.
-
'The ugliness and craziness is a part of its charm': The Country Life guide to BangkokWhere to stay, where to eat and what to do in the Thai capital.
-
What on earth is the person who comes up with Annabel's otherworldly facade displays on? London's most magical Christmas shop displaysPhotographs by Greg Funnell.
-
Farmers of Britain, go forth and grow prawnsA new study has proposed that farmers could start growing king prawns to diversify income streams.
-
The golden retriever: The world’s most likeable dog almost didn’t exist at allThey’ve been popping up everywhere this week — on the Tube, at Christmas parties and in the news — so it feels like the perfect moment to talk about the dog breed we’re lucky to have.
-
In search of London’s earliest pintEarly houses — pubs open in the early hours to feed and water the market trade — have been a cornerstone of London for centuries. Yet, as Will Hosie finds, they aren’t stuck in the past.
-
Aristotle believed they emerged spontaneously from mud, Sigmund Freud dissected thousands of them and they can dive lower than a nuclear submarine — but what is the truth about the eel?It would seem the European eel has a long way to go to win hearts, Laura Parker says of the slippery animal with an unfortunate image problem.
-
The Alpine rescue dog built for blizzards, bred by monksAs snow fell across the UK this week, I found myself day-dreaming of St Bernards striding through the Alps — a snow-day dog worth celebrating.
-
Better than Ozempic? 50 years of the Brompton bicycleOwen Wilson, James May and most of the middle-aged men and condescending hipsters you know love them. As the iconic folding bike turns 50 Lotte Brundle hops on one with the company's CEO.
-
No more froths, no more foams, no more tweezers. Classic dining is making a comeback. Thank godFrom prawn cocktail and Arctic roll to starched tablecloths and ‘nicotine cream’ on the walls, it’s out with the new and in with the old in the restaurant world
