Sea eagle research
White-tailed sea eagles have a minimal impact on the deaths of lambs according to the results of a scientific study. The study, undertaken by the Food and Environment Research Agency for
SNH, recorded the fortunes of lambs on the Gairloch peninsula inWester Ross, from April to mid-August last year. The research found that sea birds, such as fulmar, were the main source of
food for the sea eagles. There was little evidence of deaths among the lambs that could be linked to the raptors. “This is a very timely and valuable piece of research,” commented environment
minister Roseanna Cunningham. “The sea eagles are a wonderful part of our natural heritage and their reintroduction has been an outstanding success. “But we also recognise that farmers and crofters are rightly concerned about
their livestock and it’s important we develop our knowledge and understanding of this issue. “Where there are problems with sea eagles predating on livestock we will look
at maintaining and improving schemes to find ways to help farmers manage their stock to co-exist with these magnificent birds.”
Wildcat population appears stable
Two new reports suggest that the Scottish wildcat is surviving as a distinct species. The first report looked at the genetic make-up of the species and confirmed
that Scottish wildcats can be distinguished from feral cats by coat markings. Doubt was cast over the identity of the Scottish wildcat during a court case in 1990, and there has been ongoing work since to confirm its uniqueness. The second report presents the results of a Scottish wildcat survey conducted
between 2006 and 2008. This concluded that wildcats appear to be stable in their historical locations in the north and east of Scotland, with localised populations surviving around Ardnamurchan and Morvern. However, their fate elsewhere is less clear. The Scottish wildcat is one of our most endangered mammals, with cross-
breeding with domestic cats posing the greatest risk. The reports will help to deliver effective conservation action and the management necessary to sustain the species. In particular, the clear guidance on how to identify the species will help to target control of domestic cats in areas where they pose most risk to the survival of the wildcat.
www.snh.gov.uk
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NEWS
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