Ireland Appeal for information after white-tailed eagle shot dead at Lough Owel, Westmeath
A two-year-old female white-tailed eagle from the NPWS White-tailed Eagle Reintroduction Programme was shot dead beside Lough Owel near Mullingar, Co Westmeath, on Friday 6 December 2024. Satellite tag data places her death in the Ballynafid/Portnashangan area, and she had been released on the Shannon Estuary in 2022. Investigating officers have established that she was shot, and forensic results are still awaited. The NPWS launched an investigation led by its Wildlife Crime Directorate with An Garda Síochána and appealed for information, and on 15 January 2025 Minister of State Malcolm Noonan made a public appeal for information. No arrest or charge is reported in the sources.
- Reported14 Jan
3 reports - Arrested
- Charged
- In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) launched an investigation into the shooting of a white-tailed eagle beside Lough Owel.
- The bird was a two-year-old female that was part of the NPWS White-tailed Eagle Reintroduction Programme.
- Where
- The eagle was shot beside Lough Owel, near Mullingar, Co Westmeath, in the Ballynafid/Portnashangan area, according to satellite data.
- When
- Satellite tag information indicates the eagle died on Friday, December 6, 2024, the day before Storm Darragh.
- Cause
- Investigating officers have established that the bird was shot.
- Investigation
- Forensic analysis results are still awaited and may provide more information.
- The investigation is led by the NPWS Wildlife Crime Directorate with the support of An Garda Síochána.
- The NPWS appealed to the public for information about the incident.
- On 15 January 2025, Minister of State Malcolm Noonan appealed to the public for information about the incident.
- Other details
- The eagle was released in 2022 on the Shannon Estuary and had moved between Westmeath lakes before her death.
- The NPWS describes the killing of the eagle as deliberate.
26 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe NPWS has launched an investigation into the shooting dead of a white-tailed eagle beside Lough Owel. (longfordleader.ie)
- whatA white-tailed eagle was shot dead beside Lough Owel near Mullingar in Westmeath. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whatThe bird was a two-year-old female that was part of the NPWS White-tailed Eagle Reintroduction Programme. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whatA white-tailed eagle was shot dead beside Lough Owel. (kilkennypeople.ie)
- whereThe eagle was shot beside Lough Owel, near Mullingar, Co Westmeath. (longfordleader.ie)
- whereSatellite data places the death in the Ballynafid/Portnashangan area at Lough Owel. (longfordleader.ie)
- whereThe bird died in the Ballynafid/Portnashangan area at Lough Owel. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whereThe eagle died in the Ballynafid/Portnashangan area at Lough Owel. (kilkennypeople.ie)
- whenSatellite tag information indicates the eagle died on Friday, December 6, the day before Storm Darragh. (longfordleader.ie)
- whenThe bird died sometime on Friday, December 6. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whenThe eagle died on December 6, the day before Storm Darragh. (kilkennypeople.ie)
- causeInvestigating officers have established that the bird was shot. (longfordleader.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
- causeThe eagle was shot. (kilkennypeople.ie)
- investigationForensic analysis results are still awaited. (longfordleader.ie)
- investigationThe NPWS is appealing to the public for any information about the incident. (longfordleader.ie)
- investigationThe National Parks and Wildlife Service has launched an investigation. (offalyexpress.ie)
- investigationForensic results are awaited and may provide more information. (offalyexpress.ie)
- investigationThe NPWS is appealing to the public for information. (offalyexpress.ie)
- investigationNPWS is undertaking an investigation led by the Wildlife Crime Directorate with the support of An Garda Síochána. (kilkennypeople.ie)
- investigationThe Minister of State appealed to the public for information about the incident. (kilkennypeople.ie)
- otherThe eagle was a two-year-old female that was part of the NPWS White-tailed Eagle Reintroduction Programme. (longfordleader.ie)
- otherThe eagle was released in 2022 on the Shannon Estuary. (longfordleader.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
- otherThe eagle had moved between Westmeath lakes before her death. (longfordleader.ie)
- otherThe NPWS condemns the deliberate killing of rare and endangered species. (longfordleader.ie)
- otherThe NPWS deplores the deliberate killing of rare and endangered species. (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherThe eagle was a young female that had been released in 2022 as part of the NPWS White Tailed Eagle Reintroduction Programme. (kilkennypeople.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 15 Jan2025Appeal from prominent Kilkenny figure after 'magnificent creature' shot dead
Gives the death date from satellite tag data, the location as the Ballynafid/Portnashangan area, the investigating bodies, and a public appeal from the Minister of State for Nature and Heritage.
- 14 Jan2025Investigation underway following shooting of White-tailed Eagle in the Midlands
Adds that investigators have established the bird was shot and are awaiting forensic results, that the NPWS deplores the deliberate killing, and that the eagle had moved between local lakes in Westmeath before her death. Gives the release location as the Shannon Estuary.
- 14 Jan2025Investigation underway after white-tailed eagle shot dead in Midlands
Adds that investigating officers have established the bird was shot, with forensic results still awaited. Adds that satellite tag data indicates she died on Friday 6 December in the Ballynafid/Portnashangan area, and describes her movements since 2022 and the NPWS response.