Strictly star to appear at Golden Eagle festival as number of birds soar
The number of Golden Eagles in the South of Scotland is continuing to soar.
47 are now making their home in the region, following the arrival of eight young birds from the Outer Hebrides.
That's the highest figure recorded here in the last three centuries.
The update comes as it's announced wildlife cameraman Hazma Yassin - who won Strictly Come Dancing in 2022 - will speak at this year's Moffat Eagle Festival.
Now in its fourth year, the event - which runs from September 6th to 8th - also includes talks by wildlife author Jim Crumley and Peter Cairns from rewilding charity Scotland; live music, a fell run and a chance to meet a real eagle.
Speaking about his involvement, Hamza said: “Golden eagles are my absolutely favourite bird of prey, so it is a real privilege to headline the prestigious Moffat Eagle Festival in the UK’s first official Eagle Town and to support the fantastic work of the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project.
“It’s truly wonderful to hear that there are new record numbers of golden eagles soaring in southern Scottish skies thanks to the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project. My hope is that soon these majestic birds will be seen right across the UK.”
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Under a research licence from NatureScot, the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project team successfully caught, transported and released eight free flying (sub adult) golden eagles from the Outer Hebrides between 2023 and 2024, bringing the total number of sub adult birds released to 15. The birds were released almost immediately on arrival in a secret location in the southern uplands of Scotland.
The team previously also collected 28 eagle chicks from the Highlands and islands and released them in southern Scotland from 2018 to 2023. Some of these birds have settled on territory together and begun building eyries (large nests).
In 2022, the project became the first in the world to successfully translocate seven free-flying young golden eagles (aged between 6 months and 3 years) to boost the low population of this iconic bird.
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Francesca Osowska, NatureScot’s Chief Executive, said: “The success of the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project is an inspiration, boosting the number of eagles in the region enormously over the last six years. This initiative is a brilliant example of partnership working between land managers and conservation and government agencies to achieve that end.
“We’re passionate about returning golden eagles to the places where they used to thrive. With wildlife declining across the globe, this project is a vital part of the wide-ranging work taking place in Scotland to protect and restore wildlife, reverse biodiversity loss and combat the climate emergency.”
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