Golden Eagles go missing in Southern Scotland
Conservationists and police are appealing for information after a satellite-tagged Golden Eagle vanished in southern Scotland.
The bird, a male named Tarras, was part of the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project and was translocated to the Langholm area in 2021.
According to Police Scotland, data from Tarras’s tracking tag has shown unusual and concerning patterns, leading to fears that the eagle may have come to harm between Wednesday 27 August and Friday 29 August 2025. The tag’s last signal came from the hills north of Langholm. More worrying, a second Golden Eagle, Tarras's mate Wren has also since gone missing. While there is currently no direct evidence that she has been harmed, her absence at the same time as Tarras’s has raised serious concern for her welfare.
Michael Clarke, Chair of Restoring Upland Nature and a Dumfriesshire farmer, said:
“Everyone at Restoring Upland Nature is devastated and frustrated that Tarras appears to have come to harm, and that we are now also concerned for his mate Wren. Losing one eagle is tragic — but losing a bonded pair is especially distressing.
This incident, alongside Merrick’s disappearance, highlights the critical importance of continuing to monitor and protect the record numbers of Golden Eagles now thriving across southern Scotland. The project’s eagles have captured the hearts of conservationists, landowners, gamekeepers, local communities, and visitors alike, who all share in our shock and disappointment.”
GoldenEaglesofSouthScotlandProject
About the project
The South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project, launched in 2017 and now part of Restoring Upland Nature, aims to strengthen the once-fragile Golden Eagle population in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries & Galloway. By translocating young eagles from the Highlands, fitting them with satellite tags, and providing feeding support, the project has increased numbers to over 50 birds—the highest in southern Scotland for more than 300 years. Working with landowners, schools, and local communities, it has inspired public engagement and won national awards for conservation. Despite its success, the project continues to face challenges, including ongoing risks of persecution and the recent disappearance of tagged eagles. This is the second disappearance of a translocated eagle under suspicious circumstances; in April 2024, police confirmed they believed the loss of another eagle, Merrick, in autumn 2023 was the result of persecution.