25-04-2025
Shock moment helpless lamb is snatched by eagle on Scots farm
Farmers are considering quitting because the birds of prey are making life so tough
SHEAR HORROR Shock moment helpless lamb is snatched by eagle on Scots farm
A DISTRAUGHT farmer told how terrifying eagles keep nicking her lambs.
Caitrìona Anna NicDhòmhnaill reckons she's losing at least an animal a day to the winged thieves.
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A terrified lamb is carried away by a huge sea eagle
Credit: Karen Samson
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The shocking moment a lamb was snatched by a sea eagle
Credit: Karen Samson
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Farmer Caitriona Anna NicDhhnaill is considering quitting her croft because of the eagles
Credit: Facebook
Her pal caught one of the raids on camera completely by chance over the Easter weekend.
Now Caitrìona, 59, is considering giving up the family croft in Ardgour, Lochaber, because she is so fed up watching her flock being plucked into the sky.
She said: "It's just sickening. There is absolutely nothing you can do.
'We have always had predators but never losses on this scale.
'You're helpless. They come in so fast. You can scream and shout but the birds have no fear of humans at all.
"I'm thinking about packing it all in."
Caitriona is the third generation of her family to run the farm and has been at the helm for the past 35 years.
She reckons it's hard enough to make a living without watching her livestock being carried away.
Caitrìona reckons she lost about 33 lambs to the eagles last year, about a third of her flock.
In a matter of days this year she's lost three to the predators and another three that could be down to them.
Her friend got incredible snaps of the moment a lamb was snatched on Easter Sunday
Caitriona said: 'The sea eagle comes over every morning at the same time.
'At this rate there won't be a lamb left. This lamb was taken alive leaving the mother distraught. Heartbreaking to see.'
But the granny stressed that it's not about cash for her and she struggles to cope with watching a scared lamb bleating as it's lifted off.
She said: 'For me personally, it's not really about the cost.
'I'm more interested in the welfare of the sheep. I don't like selling them and try to hold on to whatever I can.
'But at this rate I'm losing them as fast as the sheep are making them basically. It's terrible.'
Caitriona is not only the farmer to be affected by the birds, who are having a massive impact across the Highlands.
It's claimed they are decimating jobs and forcing youngsters to leave the area to find work.
Donald Houston, who owns the 30,000 acre Ardnamurchan Estate, reckons he lost as much as 25 percent of his flock of 2,500 to the eagles last year.
He told how he sent vacuum packed corpses of lambs killed by eagles to Naturescot and Scottish Natural Heritage to get across the carnage. But he claims they refused to accept them.
He said: 'It's a disaster.
'We have come to a point where it is unsustainable to have a sheep flock. Most of my neighbours no longer have sheep at all because they were losing too many.'
The sea eagles were re-introduced to Scotland in 1975 after they were wiped out.
Their population has now increased to around 150 breeding pairs.
The Scottish Government offers cash to farmers through the Sea Eagle Management Scheme, and increased the amount available to £970,000.
This is to cover the cost of things including deterrents and extra shepherding.
Environment Minister Gillian Martin said: "We recognise the challenges sea eagle predation can cause, and this funding is about ensuring practical support for those affected."
