Sea eagle snatching live lamb captured on film

A shocking incident on Pabbay, a small island off Scotland’s west coast, has provided clear evidence of sea eagles preying on livestock.

On Friday 28 March, shepherd Raymond Campbell captured footage of a sea eagle swooping down to snatch a live twin lamb from his flock.

The bird struck quickly, lifting the lamb into the air before flying off, with Mr Campbell’s daughter Sarah managing to film the dramatic moment on her mobile phone.

See also: More support for Scottish farms affected by sea eagle predation

Mr Campbell said: “Over the years, we have had sea eagles lift dead lambs, but now there are so many of them [sea eagles], they need food and have started taking live lambs.

“Man has interfered with wildlife and sheep farmers are paying for the consequences. A similar incident happened last year, but we did not have time to get footage of it.”

While sea eagles, once extinct in the UK, have been reintroduced through conservation efforts, this incident only serves to reinforce farmers’ concerns about their impact on livestock.

Sea eagles primarily feed on fish and carrion but they also target live lambs – a behaviour that had previously been hotly disputed with conservationists downplaying the impact on farmers.

This new video has since gone viral, attracting more than 660,000 views on Facebook.

David Colthart, a sheep farmer from Argyll and chairman of the Argyll and Lochaber Sea Eagle Stakeholder Group, said: “This video visually represents what farmers and crofters have been facing for years, though it’s rarely captured on camera.

“Farmers are frustrated that sea eagles are so heavily protected, while a loose dog attack could lead to a £40,000 fine or imprisonment.”

The Scottish government and NatureScot acknowledge the issue, with funding for the Sea Eagle Management Scheme recently increased from £400,000 to nearly £1m to help mitigate the damage.

Recognition

First minister John Swinney, speaking at the NFU Scotland conference in February, noted the “unintended consequences” of reintroducing species such as the sea eagle.

He highlighted the emotional and financial toll on affected farmers.

To address these concerns, agriculture minister Jim Fairlie has been tasked with working with officials, NatureScot, and affected producers to find a solution.

Mr Fairlie has already visited farms dealing with sea eagle predation to better understand the issue.

The Scottish government has confirmed it will provide NatureScot with an additional £534,000 for the 2025-26 Sea Eagle Management Scheme, taking the total to £970,000 and ensuring more support for those worst impacted.

New applicants and those with existing agreements will be contacted shortly with details of this year’s arrangements and payments. Anyone who has issues with sea eagles should email NatureScot at seaeaglescheme@nature.scot.