THE RSPB has announced the appointment of two new staff to teach Ross-shire schoolchildren about a previously persecuted bird of prey.
Judith Bullivant and Sarah Stephenson will work as field teachers as part of a project to improve understanding about the lives and habits of the white-tailed eagles, also known as sea eagles.
Judith will be working with schools in Wester Ross while Sarah’s brief is to cover schools across Skye and Lochalsh.
The new posts are part of a project known as SEEVIEWS which seeks to engage and inform communities across Scotland as the white-tailed eagle population gradually re-establishes itself after being reintroduced in the west Highlands in the 1970s.
Due to persecution the eagles were absent from Scotland for almost 60 years having hitherto co-existed with the local human population for thousands of years.
Dr Alison MacLennan, RSPB conservation officer for Skye and Lochalsh, said: "I am delighted that Judith and Sarah have taken up these posts. We have received a number of requests from local schools for eagle-themed field teaching and it’s great that we now have the resources to respond positively. "We are particularly excited that the educational materials are being developed in Gaelic as well as English. Gaelic and white-tailed eagles are both part of the heritage of our area and it is surely appropriate that the two should come together like this in the SEEVIEWS project.
"The RSPB sets great store in introducing young people to the wonders of nature and it doesn’t get much more wonderful than our magnificent white-tailed eagles. I would welcome any other schools interested in the project to contact me to take advantage of the scheme."
Dr MacLennan added: "We are also working on a white-tailed eagle trail guide and some hi-tech interpretative displays at the Aros Centre for local people as well as for tourists visiting the area. The tourism industry of the Isle of Mull has greatly benefited from its white-tailed eagles and we want to make sure that Skye and Wester Ross further benefits too."
The project is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Highland Leader.
