Scans showed at least 17 shotgun pellets lodged in the bird's body and wings
- Published
Police are investigating the shooting of a golden eagle found with at least 17 shotgun pellets lodged in its body.
The bird - which survived the incident - was released in the Lammermuir Hills in the Scottish Borders earlier this year as part of a pioneering project to boost numbers in southern Scotland.
Squeagle - a four-year-old female - is fitted with a tag which showed she had travelled through Northumberland, the Pennines and the Yorkshire Dales.
A photograph on 4 May in Northumberland showed damage to her feathers before gamekeepers in the Lammermuirs noticed the bird was in pain and alerted the charity behind the conservation project.
She was collected on 1 June and taken to the Scottish SPCA for assessment and treatment.
The bird was spotted on 4 May in Northumberland with damaged feathers
Scans and treatment revealed the bird had been shot and had at least 17 shotgun pellets lodged in her body and wings.
Experts believe the injuries were not recent, as the wounds had already healed.
Det Sgt David Lynn, national wildlife crime co-ordinator, said: "This was a serious attack on a protected bird of prey which I utterly condemn.
"Thanks to the quick actions of those who reported concerns, the golden eagle was able to receive specialist treatment and has since been returned to the wild.
"We are working with partners across Scotland and northern England to establish where and when she was shot."
He said the bird's condition would continue to be monitored and they were working with colleagues in Northumberland, Durham, Cumbria and North Yorkshire.
Squeagle was released in the Lammermuir Hills in the Scottish Borders
The project to boost golden eagle numbers across southern Scotland is led by the charity Restoring Upland Nature (RUN) and has seen the birds flourish.
However, there have been a number of setbacks with shootings and disappearances.
Dumfriesshire farmer Michael Clarke, who chairs the group, said: "While we are relieved that Squeagle has survived, and is soaring high in southern skies thanks to the efforts of the rescuing gamekeepers, the Scottish SPCA and our eagle officer, John, we utterly condemn this act of persecution.
"This abhorrent wildlife crime was clearly committed by an individual or individuals who consider themselves above the law.
"Whoever is responsible for this, and anyone who seeks to excuse or conceal it, should reflect on the immense damage their actions cause to wildlife, the efforts of land managers, farmers, conservationists and local communities, and the future of golden eagles in the UK."
Ross Ewing, director of moorland and strategic projects at landowners' organisation Scottish Land and Estates urged anyone with information to come forward.
He said it was "right to recognise" the actions of gamekeepers in the Lammermuirs who had raised the alarm when they saw the bird was in difficulty.
Anyone with information has been asked to
contact police, external.
<small>Source: BBC Science</small>