Adorable golden eagle fledglings are named Sassy and GoldenEye by Dame Judi Dench and Outlander star Sam Heughan during conservation project
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By OLIVIA ALLHUSEN, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER
Published: | Updated:
Adorable golden eagle fledglings have been named Sassy and GoldenEye by Dame Judi Dench and Outlander star Sam Heughan as part of a conservation project.
Five young birds successfully fledged in southern Scotland this summer, including four descended from eagles brought to the region through the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project.
Conservationists say the new arrivals are another encouraging sign that the once-fragile population is becoming self-sustaining after years of work to restore the species.
Dame Judi, 91, named one of the fledglings GoldenEye in a nod to the 1995 James Bond film in which she made her debut as the first female M.
The actress said: 'Many years ago, as the first female M, I instructed James Bond to "find GoldenEye" and here he is.
'I wish GoldenEye a long life soaring in southern skies and RUN the best of luck in their continued work.'
The eagle named by Dame Judi is the grandchild of a male which project chiefs say is currently recorded as the oldest living golden eagle in Europe.
Meanwhile, Outlander star Heughan named another of the fledglings Sassy, a nod to his Sassenach Whisky brand.
Outlander star Heughan named another of the fledglings Sassy (pictured), a nod to his Sassenach Whisky brand
He said: 'It is a great honour to be invited to name a golden eagle that represents such hope for the future of this magnificent species in the south of Scotland.
'I'm delighted to know that this magnificent creature might explore the beauty of my hometown and surrounding area. I hope it may even fly over the Galloway Distillery.'
The South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project is run by conservation charity Restoring Upland Nature (RUN) and has worked to bolster the region's golden eagle population by translocating birds from elsewhere in Scotland.
RUN said the population in southern Scotland has now grown to more than 50 individual birds, which it says is the highest number recorded in the area for three centuries.
Dr Cat Barlow, chief executive of RUN, said the fledging of four young birds descended from translocated eagles marked a 'hugely significant milestone'.
She said: 'It shows that where there are healthy ecosystems and the risk of interference is low, translocated eagles can successfully integrate into native populations to breed successfully.'
The charity hopes the success of the project could eventually help efforts to restore golden eagles elsewhere in Britain.
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