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Golden Eagle Project
Help us create a future for the Golden Eagle in the south of Scotland
18 April 2024
Meet Paradise (L11)
Paradise is a young female eagle, collected from the beautiful Isle of Colonsay in Argyll on the 26th June 2023.
Paradise was named by the pupils of Kilchattan Primary, on the Isle of Colonsay, after a local beauty spot known as ‘Pig’s Paradise’, a stunning coastal location renowned for its seabird colonies.
Pig's Paradise, a beautiful coastal location on Colonsay which inspired the name chosen by Kilchattan Primary School pupils.
Alex Howard of Colonsay Estate said:
“Colonsay Estate is exceptionally pleased to be able to assist with this very exciting project. The islands of Colonsay & Oransay have had Golden Eagles thriving here for a very long time. It is wonderful to think that we were able to support this important project. We are particularly grateful for all the effort that those who make up the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project put into helping keep this magnificent bird species viable and growing throughout Scotland.”
The team for the Colonsay collection comprised of SSGEP staff Cat and John, raptor worker David Jardine, climbers Lewis Pate and Stephen Benthall, Vet Neil Anderson and were assisted by Gabi Peniche.
David Jardine, a raptor worker for the Argyll raptor study group said:
‘Around every 10 years twin eagle chicks are raised on Colonsay. This often coincides with a peak of the rabbit population on the islands as happened in 2023. It is great that everyone on Colonsay agreed that one of the chicks could contribute to the re-enforcement of the golden eagle population in the South of Scotland, through the SSGEP. Here’s hoping that all goes well for Paradise (one of only two chicks translocated from Argyll) and that she grows to maturity and helps diversify the gene pool in the south of Scotland population.’
Caroline Seymore of Kilchattan Primary School said:
“The children of Kilchattan School on Colonsay have come up with a name. They were thinking of the different places on Colonsay that she could be named after and we thought of Machrins and Kiloranand then someone shouted Pig’s Paradise which is where the seabirds nest. As Pig’s Paradise does not seem particularly apt for an eagle it was shortened to Paradise, so that is the name!”
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