The disappearance of a white-tailed sea eagle, fitted with a satellite tracker, has sparked a police investigation in North Yorkshire, a region notorious for bird of prey persecution. The bird, part of a reintroduction project, was last detected in the North York Moors, an area dominated by grouse shooting estates.
The Vanishing Act
The eagle, often called a "flying barn door" due to its 2.5-metre wingspan, went missing on 1 May. Its satellite tag stopped transmitting after 1:20 am, with no further signals. Tim Mackrill of the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation (RDWF) said the tags are highly reliable, making the silence suspicious. Police and RSPB investigators searched the last known location but found nothing.
Reintroduction Efforts
Since 2019, RDWF and Forestry England have released 45 young white-tailed eagles on the Isle of Wight. In 2025, two birds bred in Dorset for the first time in 240 years. The missing eagle, a chick from that breeding pair, had wandered widely before heading to the North York Moors.
Persecution Hotspot
North Yorkshire accounts for 21.84% of confirmed raptor persecution incidents in the UK between 2015 and 2024. Of 138 birds killed, 50% were shot, 21% poisoned, and 13% trapped. Mark Thomas of the RSPB called the county the worst for bird crime, noting that three other reintroduced eagles vanished last year in Wales, Scotland, and Sussex.
Possible Causes
Thomas suspects the eagle was shot while roosting, possibly using thermal imaging. He noted that perpetrators often boast about their actions. Dr. Ruth Tingay of Wild Justice urged more police resources and stronger powers to combat wildlife crime.
Gamekeepers Respond
Marnie Lovejoy of the British Association for Shooting and Conservation condemned illegal killing but urged caution, as the cause remains unknown. Camilla Swift of the National Gamekeepers Organisation said white-tailed eagles have little impact on game birds. The Snilesworth estate declined to comment, while Andrew Gilruth of the Moorland Association noted that tags can fail and birds may die naturally.
The head gamekeeper, Charlie Woof, who previously pleaded guilty to trapping birds of prey in 2008, also declined to comment. The investigation continues, with police appealing for information.
