Rise in golden eagles where eight birds disappeared

14 December 2017

Numbers of golden eagles have increased in an area of the Highlands where eight of the birds were believed to have been killed illegally.

The satellite-tagged raptors disappeared over a period of less than five years in the Monadhliath mountains, south of Inverness.

It led to the Scottish government ordering a review of tagging data to check for other suspicious deaths.

A group set up as part of the review said eagle numbers rose this year.

Highland Partnership Against Wildlife Crime North Monadhliaths Subgroup said reports from RSPB Scotland and the Highland Raptor Study Group suggested numbers of the birds in the area had increased.

There had also been "positive sightings" of goshawks, buzzards, ospreys and red kites, the subgroup said.

Continued