Information is being sought in relation to the discovery of a dead, white-tailed eagle, which was found to have been killed by ingesting the poison carbofuran.
The bird, which was part of a national re-introduction programme, was found dead on lands between Lough Ramar in Co. Cavan and Lough Sheelin in Co. Westmeath, in November of last year.
A number of tests carried out on the bird at the Dublin Regional Veterinary Lab, at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) lab in Backweston ruled out avian influenza, illegal shooting or trauma.
According to the Department of Heritage, subsequent toxicology testing confirmed that the eagle had been poisoned by the insecticide carbofuran.
At this time, it is not known how the bird ingested this substance but it is believed that it could be due to eating a dead animal carcass that was laced with it.
In a statement, the department said that numerous studies have shown that a single granule of the insecticide – which resembles a natural grain – can kill a bird.
Its approval for use in crop production in Ireland was withdrawn over a year ago and possession of the substance is illegal. Despite this however, it continues to be used to target wildlife.
The white-tailed eagle
The deceased bird was a healthy juvenile male, which had been brought to Ireland as a chick in 2021 from Norway, as part of a national re-introduction programme for white-tailed eagles.
The bird was fitted with a satellite tag before its release on Lough Derg and it was evident that it was spending large periods of time around Lough Sheelin and neighboring counties.
National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) rangers became concerned when the bird’s tag indicated that it was staying in one spot in Co. Cavan “for a troubling length of time”.
NPWS regional manager Maurice Eakin stated that these birds are a protected species under the Wildlife Acts, and this latest fatality once again highlights how prevalent this illegal practice continues to be.
“It is particularly disturbing that the reckless laying of poison has resulted in the death of a white-tailed eagle, one of our largest and most majestic bird species, which had been persecuted to extinction by the early 1900s,” he said.
Eakin added that in the past, landowners commonly used carbofuran for the control of foxes and crows around lambing season, but reminded farmers that the use of poisonous substances has been illegal since 2010.
The NPWS and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLG) are now urging anyone who has any information, or who may have witnessed suspicious behaviour in the area to contact them or An Garda Síochána.