A bird of prey understood to be part of a project aimed at boosting golden eagle numbers in the south of Scotland has been found dead on the grounds of an estate.
The discovery of the golden eagle was made by a member of the gamekeeping team on Queensberry Estate, which is run by Buccleuch, in Dumfries and Galloway on Saturday afternoon.
The adult bird was found dead with no obvious signs of injury and wearing a monitor linked to the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project (SSGEP).
Staff at Buccleuch informed the local police and SSGEP immediately.
Benny Higgins, executive chairman of Buccleuch said: “Buccleuch work closely with the SSGEP in the local area and we are extremely proud of our record in recent years of helping rebuild the population.
“The bird was removed from the site on Saturday and is being tested to understand the cause of death. Our team will continue to offer any assistance it can on this matter.”
The SSGEP has been relocating birds to the region since 2018.
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