Thousands of visitors to the Isle of Wight this summer will have the opportunity to see the extremely rare White-tailed Sea Eagle – a new arrival at Robin Hill for 2021.
After months of waiting, 10-month-old Chief has finally arrived on the Island from the Scottish Eagle Centre for what the park hopes will be an incredible opportunity to educate visitors on the species that became extinct nearly 200 years ago, and provide a major draw to attract people back to the Island after the coronavirus pandemic.
Chief, who weighs 9.5lb and has a 7.5ft wingspan, will join a team of over 30 birds looked after by 22-year-old Charlie Rolle, one of the Isle of Wight’s youngest qualified falconers. He will train Chief to fly and express his natural behaviours, so that the magnificent eagle will be ready to educate visitors upon re-opening 19th May in the park’s spectacular falconry displays.
Charlie Rolle, Falconer at Robin Hill said:
“It has been my childhood dream to train a White-tailed Sea Eagle. It’s been a slow and steady journey to build a bond of trust with Chief, with his welfare of the upmost importance. It is my passion that time spent with animals and learning from them will help our visitors become more aware of the conservation of our fellow inhabitants and the environmental challenges they face. There is nothing more awe-inspiring than to see a bird of prey in action.”
The White-tailed Sea Eagle is Britain’s largest bird of prey. Native to the UK, they are a species of conservation concern. Once widespread along the whole of the South Coast of England, from Cornwall to Kent, they were driven to extinction by persecution that began in the Middle Ages and were extinct in the UK by the early 20th Century. The last pair to breed in southern England nested on Culver Cliff on the Isle of Wight in 1780.
The species was successfully reintroduced to Scotland, where there are now more than 130 pairs. They have recently been reintroduced to Ireland and there is an ongoing reintroduction programme taking place on the Isle of Wight, that started in 2019, with 60 birds due to be released across a 5-year period.
James Crofts, Park Manager at Robin Hill, said:
“We are so excited to be reopening with a brand-new arrival that enhances our ability to educate and enthral visitors on rare and wild birds. Chief signifies our ongoing development of quality falconry experiences on site, and we hope that by getting up close and personal people will have more appreciation for the species overall.”
“We hope Chief will not only see a bumper reopening season for the attraction, but also support the Island’s post COVID recovery by providing a big draw for visitors this year.”
Really looking forward to seeing this extinct bird in action…
Please learn how they treat these birds before you make comments like this. Charlie treats these birds with the utmost care and lets them fly freely. Please educate yourself before making these comments. Thank you
Agree, Charlie is extraordinarily knowledgeable, and works incredibly hard and from the heart, which is undeniably reflected in the bond he has with each and every bird and their unique characters <3
Where do all the comments keep disappearing after being approved ?
Selective newscasting, a bit like the BBC.
If a person clicks the flag to raise an issue the comment is investigated. If found to contradict the the guidelines laid out (eg untrue) the post is removed. There have been some uneducated and untrue comments hence they were removed.