Another third white-tailed sea eagle has been found dead from suspected poisoning in Co Kerry.
Schoolchildren on a kayaking trip found the carcass of the male bird on the River Laune near Beaufort. It is the third eagle thought to have been killed by banned toxins in the last month amid concerns local farmers have laced sheep carcasses with lethal substances.
It is the 19th protected bird of prey found dead from suspected poison in the last three years. Dr Allan Mee, White-Tailed Eagle Project manager, branded those behind the poisonings reckless vandals.
“I feel utterly devastated by this. Losing yet another bird is tragic,” the conservationist said. “I’m gutted at the loss of this bird, the third in a few weeks in Beaufort. But I’m even sadder for the children who found the bird.”
All three eagles were found dead within one kilometre of each other and it is believed they died after eating an animal carcass laced with the banned pesticide and poison carbofuran.
The Golden Eagle Trust, which runs the white tailed sea eagle project, claimed there is growing evidence of illegal use of poison by a tiny minority of sheep farmers.
This year has been the worst for poisonings since 2007 when efforts to reintroduce golden eagles in Donegal, white tailed sea eagles in Kerry and red kites in Wicklow began in earnest - 11 birds have been found dead.
A spokesman for Environment Minister John Gormley said: “The Minister is disgusted by this appalling practice and calls on anybody engaged in this practice to cease it immediately.”
Mountaineer Con Moriarty, one of the group which found the bird, said the deaths exposed young people to narrow-minded attitudes.
“It is profoundly sad then that in the midst of this peaceful place, ignorant behaviour has led to the death of these great creatures through what appears to be highly dangerous — and mostly banned substances being recklessly doused on the carcass or young lambs or the likes to attract birds of prey and other wildlife,” he said.
Dr Mee said it was time for the government to act to ban the use of poisons and use the threat of cancelling farm grants to deter people from using deadly toxins.
He said the deaths would have severe effects on the perception of Kerry as a tourist destination and damage the progress made in promoting heritage to local children.
“Their and our heritage is being stolen from us as we speak by a few mindless people. Poisoning is destroying everything we are fighting to achieve. The only word for it is reckless vandalism. We can’t sit back and let it happen,” he said.
Using poisoned meat bait to control crows was banned in 2008 but a loophole allows farmers to use it to kill foxes, posing an indiscriminate threat to birds of prey, many of which feed on carrion.
The Department of the Environment said an amendment to the Birds Directive banning the practice will soon go to public consultation.
Norwegian Ambassador to Ireland, Oyvind Nordsletten, also expressed his disappointment as chicks from his country were used to start the project.
PA