Scotland is home to rich and diverse wildlife, including the majestic sea eagles, also known as white-tailed eagles.
These large birds of prey were once extinct in the British Isles, but have been successfully reintroduced since the 1970s.
However, their comeback has also brought conflicts with some farmers, who accuse them of killing their lambs and other livestock.
To address this issue, a couple of falconers have come up with an innovative solution: training an ancient dog breed to deter eagle attacks.
The Maremma sheepdogs
The dog breed in question is the Maremma, a type of livestock guardian dog that originated in Italy.
These dogs have thick white coats that blend in with the sheep they protect, and they are loyal, brave, and intelligent. They have been used for centuries by shepherds to fend off wolves and other predators.
Jonny and Daisy Ames, who run a falconry near Aviemore in the Scottish Highlands, decided to use Maremmas to guard their own sheep from the sea eagles.
They also started a training program to teach other farmers how to use these dogs to protect their livestock, as per Phys.org.
The training involves exposing the young dogs to various stimuli that simulate the presence and behavior of the eagles.
For example, they use a drone with an eagle lure attached to it to fly over the dogs and make them alert and defensive. They also let a captive sea eagle feed from a carcass in front of the dogs, so that they can learn to associate the bird with a threat.
The aim is not to make the dogs aggressive or violent towards the eagles, but rather to make them bark and chase them away. The dogs are also taught to be gentle and friendly with humans and other animals.
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The benefits and challenges of using Maremmas
The Ames claims that using Maremmas has several benefits for both farmers and eagles, as per Digital Journal.
For farmers, it can reduce the loss of livestock and income, as well as the stress and frustration caused by the eagle attacks.
It can also save them time and money that would otherwise be spent on fencing, electric collars, or other deterrents.
For eagles, it can prevent them from being shot or poisoned by angry farmers, which is illegal but still happens occasionally. It can also help them coexist with humans and other wildlife in a more harmonious way.
However, using Maremmas also has some challenges and limitations. For one thing, not all farmers are willing or able to adopt these dogs, as they require a lot of space, care, and training.
Furthermore, not all eagles are deterred by these dogs, as some may be more bold or hungry than others.
Moreover, using Maremmas does not address the root causes of the conflict, such as the loss of natural prey for the eagles due to habitat degradation or overfishing.
Therefore, Ames acknowledges that using Maremmas is not a perfect or permanent solution, but rather a complementary and experimental one.
They hope that their initiative will raise awareness and stimulate dialogue among different stakeholders, such as conservationists, farmers, government agencies, and the public.
They also hope that their initiative will inspire more research and innovation in finding more effective and sustainable ways of managing human-wildlife conflicts.
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