Endangered young eagle shot dead near lake in Co Westmeath [Video]

LAST UPDATE | 1 hr ago

A TWO-YEAR-OLD endangered eagle has been shot dead in Co Westmeath.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is appealing to the public for any information in relation to the shooting of the eagle.

The female White-tailed Eagle was part of the NPWS White-tailed Eagle Reintroduction Programme and was first released in 2022 on the Shannon Estuary.

White-tailed Eagle chicks are fitted with satellite tags to monitor their movement through the reintroduction programme. Information from this eagle’s satellite tag indicates that she died sometime on Friday 6 December, the day before Storm Darragh, in the Ballynafid/Portnashangan area at Lough Owel near Mullingar in Co Westmeath

The NPWS has launched an investigation following the the shooting of the bird.

Investigating officers have established that the bird was shot and are awaiting further forensic analysis results that may provide additional information.

In a statement, the NPWS said that it “deplores the deliberate …