White-tailed eagle disappearance 'deeply shocking'

The disappearance of a white-tailed eagle in the Southern Uplands is being treated as suspicious by police.

The satellite-tagged bird has spent most of its time between Peebles and Heriot in the Scottish Borders since March this year but was recently tracked on lower ground to the north of the Moorfoot Hills near Gladhouse Reservoir in Midlothian.

However, after its tag stopped working in "circumstances that give rise to suspicion'", Police Scotland wildlife crime officers and colleagues from the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit carried out searches of the area.

They failed to find any trace of the eagle and the public is now being asked to come forward with any information.

Wildlife crime officer PC Ali Whitby said: "This is a huge, iconic bird of prey that chose to fly hundreds of miles north and settle in the Moorfoot Hills.

''Being so big its presence was known to people working and living in the area and it thrived for eight months; the fact it has now gone missing in suspicious circumstances is extremely disappointing."

The four-year-old bird was translocated as a chick from Scotland to the Isle of Wight, as part of a reintroduction programme with the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation.

The eagle then made its way back to Scotland before settling in the Moorfoot Hills.

It is the third white-tailed eagle connected to the programme to have disappeared, with the other two located in England and Wales.

A spokesperson from the foundation called the disappearances "sickening and deeply shocking".

Scottish Land & Estates backed the call for information over the bird's disappearance.

Ross Ewing, director of moorland and strategic projects, said: "We understand that land managers in Moorfoots have been helping police with the search and will continue to provide whatever help they can as the investigation progresses.

"It is clearly in everyone's interests to establish as quickly as possible what has happened to this eagle.

"We would encourage anyone with relevant information to come forward to assist Police Scotland."