Ireland - The Return Of The White-Tailed Eagle

White-Tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla ) which disappeared from Ireland about 100 years ago has made a comeback. On 16^th August Mr. John Gormley, Minister for the Environment released six White Tailed Eagles into the wild in Killarney National Park as part of the programme to reintroduce this native bird of prey in Ireland. These birds had pride of place in the cultural and natural heritage of Ireland for hundreds of years but due to trapping and shooting in the 19th and early 20th centuries they became extinct. The eagle chicks came from Norway. The project will operate over a five-year period with about 15 birds being released on each occasion. It is expected that most of the eagles released will disperse to the coastline after a few months