First eagle owl to breed in wild found shot dead

Furious conservationists say the female bird had been living with its mate at a secret location in the Yorkshire Dales.

The pair became famous in November when they starred in a BBC documentary called Return of the Eagle Owl.

They were watched over by Major Tony Crease, from the Foxglove Covert nature reserve, at Catterick Garrison.

He said: "Everybody is very saddened by the death.

"It sounds strange, but it is like losing your dog.

"The birds have been around for nine years now. After that time, you almost develop a loose relationship with them."

Producer Fergus Beeley, from Spider Movies, the company that made the documentary, described the death as a tragedy. An autopsy found the bird's body contained a large amount of heavy-gauge shot.

Wildlife officer PC Mark Rasbeary said the bird died when it was shot or starved to death because the pellets meant it was unable to feed.

He said: "Everybody involved has been sickened by the death.

"It is as if they are sticking two fingers up at us after the documentary went out."

Eagle owls are protected by law and a police investigation has been launched.

With a 6ft wingspan and a weight of 4kg, the European eagle owl is the world's largest owl. The birds are formidable predators, capable of taking rabbits, small dogs and even young deer.

Several hunts in the region have, following the ban on hunting with dogs, used the owls to catch foxes.

Experts say there have been reports of other eagle owls in Britain in recent years.

However, it is thought the North Yorkshire pair may be the first birds to breed since they were hunted to extinction in the country hundreds of years ago.

The owls have raised 23 chicks in the past nine years.

Eagle owls are known to escape from captivity, but evidence is growing that the birds, including the Yorkshire pair, could be arriving on the wing from mainland Europe.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call 0845 60 60 247.