A Fife falconry centre is set to take part in an ambitious breeding programme aimed at protecting endangered birds of prey.
Elite Falconry near Kirkcaldy is one of just two UK centres to gain a licence under the European ”Balai” directive, which lays down strict conditions for the import and export of animals.
The accreditation means the centre at Cluny has been given permission to keep wild birds of prey in captivity for breeding purposes to help conserve species threatened by habitat loss, hunting and other human impacts.
Two wild verreaux eagles, also known as black eagles, from Tanzania have already arrived and four more are expected to follow this autumn.
Four African hawk eagles are also to be delivered to Elite Falconry under the scheme.
However, the public will not get to see the majestic birds.
The stringent terms of the directive mean Elite cannot use the birds for any commercial gain.
In addition, breeding eagles is an exceptionally sensitive process and falconer Barry Blyther said they would be kept isolated from staff and the public so they are not disturbed.
The eagles will be kept in aviaries that let in natural light but shield them from human contact.
”The birds inside will never see, or hear, or have any interaction with humans so they are completely wild,” said Mr Blyther.
”Balai is a new directive put in place to allow a very limited number of people access to birds and animals that would otherwise not be moved.
”Within the Balai directive, we have been granted a licence by the UK Government to import the birds and by the Tanzanian government to export the birds.
”Under the Balai directive birds cannot, in any way, shape or form, be used for any commercial purpose whatsoever.”
Mr Blyther knows only too well how difficult it is to get eagles to breed.
His captive black eagle has for the past four years been on loan in the hope it will produce chicks with a captive female in Austria, so far without success.
Mr Blyther said verreaux eagles were in demand as captive birds and the breeding programme had the potential to prevent them being taken from the wild.
It is hoped the scheme could also help preserve the species should the wild population crash.
”If we can make the birds available in captivity then there is no reason for people to look to wild stock to obtain birds for their own pleasure,” he said.
”And if we can get a captive flock, some years in the future they could be brought out of the Balai system.
”The verreaux eagle is every bit the predator as the golden eagle. It’s a tremendously powerful bird of prey. It has lived in the habitat it lives in for millions of years and is only built to work in specific conditions.
”The birds get taken by locals for bush meat and are illegally captured for the export market so there is a lot of pressure on them.”