There are two highly charged camps:
The pro-eagle group is composed of people like ourselves, members of conservation organisations such as the RSPB, lifelong wildlife enthusiasts and people with a passion for the natural world, etc.
The anti-eagle group consists of some farmers and crofters, pigeon-fanciers, many shepherds, most gamekeepers, hunters, many (game) fishermen, estate-landowners and those connected directly or indirectly in adjacent rural communities.
The vast majority of people in Scotland have no strong feelings and it is an issue that they give no thought to .......that is the problem!
Unfortunately it would seem that the anti-eagle lobby holds more sway with the popular media. There are stories of family pets being attacked, church ministers being savaged and great risk of infants and toddlers being carried away:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/8718155/Sea-eagle-attacks-reverend-and-his-flock....of-geese.htmlhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/expatnews/9224638/British-expat-fights-off-eagle-who-tried-to-fly-off-with-dog.htmlhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/8738064/Sea-eagles-could-target-children.html-I picked three quick examples from The Telegraph as it typifies these types of sensationalist article. There are similar pieces in the Sun and other popular tabloids. These types of article will clearly influence the general public despite their factual base being limited and taken out of context.
Many individuals in the anti-eagle lobby are very highly motivated and living/working in remote areas frequented by eagles they have the opportunity and the drive to illegally persecute raptors in clandestine fashion with a very low risk of getting caught.
With freedom of access for walkers across Highland estates the general public could be a powerful force in bringing such persecution to an end. However, for this to happen the public must first need to care! Fortunately this is now happening.
The east coast eagle introduction scheme has had its ups & downs but it has attracted considerable public interest. Wandering young eagles are moving around widely and are now being seen regularly by those who have had no previous interest in eagles (and have never seen a Golden Eagle). Three years ago a young telemetry-tagged Sea Eagle flew within 500m of my house! Once you see a Sea Eagle in flight it is impossible not to be impressed. The Scottish public are slowly wakening up and are finding eagles to their liking. The Golden Eagle is likely to be declared Scotland's National Bird and with the current issues surrounding the impending vote for Scottish Indepenence the persection of eagles is being increasingly frowned upon by the man and woman in the street.
If we can win the hearts and minds of the currently ambivalent general populace then raptor persecution will dramatically decline (there will always be a few nutters!)
