The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is conducting an investigation into the suspected poisoning of a white-tailed eagle found dead in Clare last Saturday.

Initial regional veterinary laboratory post mortem results point towards the possibility of poisoning.

The eagle – named Camin – had been one of the first chicks to arrive as part of an NPWS reintroduction programme to bring them back in 2008.

All of the chicks reintroduced are satellite tagged to allow their movements to be tracked.

The eagle had mated with a female in Mountshannon, Co Clare, in 2013 as the pair became the first white-tailed eagles to successfully raise and fledge chicks in the wild in Ireland in over a century.

He mated with another eagle at the same nesting spot some years later and this resulted in more chicks fledged into the wild.

Loss

“Any loss in the wild not due to natural causes is usually the result of human activity and this tragic loss of a wonderfully aged bird, breeding happily in the Irish wild, is deeply regrettable,” Minister of State for nature Christopher O’Sullivan said on announcing the investigation.

“The reintroduction programme had been making significant progress in restoring this lost flagship species to Irish skies.

“These birds are part of Ireland’s natural heritage and are important for our biodiversity, as they are a good indicator species regarding the health of our ecosystems.”

The nature minister stated that he has tasked the NPWS with “leaving no stone unturned to try to get to the bottom of this heinous potential crime”.

Divisional manager with the NPWS Eamonn Meskell commented that the “destruction of this wonderful bird of prey displays a wanton disregard for our reintroduction and nature protection efforts”.

“These noble birds are beloved of the public and each loss is keenly felt by them and indeed by the staff of NPWS, who have nurtured these birds from chicks to fledglings, on to adult life and into successfully breeding pairs. We know we can rely on the public’s help in this investigation.”

The main threat to the species in Ireland is persecution, predominantly through shooting and the illegal use of poison and wind turbine strikes.

The misuse or illegal use of poison makes up half of all eagle mortalities which have had a cause of death determined.

Those with information have been asked to contact their local Garda station or NPWS office.