Isle of Wight sea eagle dies and another disappears

One of six white-tailed eagles released on the Isle of Wight two months ago has died and another is missing.

The young birds of prey, also known as sea eagles, are part of a five-year reintroduction programme on the island.

Forestry England said "very sadly" the remains of one of the male eagles had been found, with tests now under way to discover the cause of its death.

Attempts are continuing to find another eagle whose tracker data showed he flew to Essex and back before disappearing.

The tracker worn by the second eagle, known as "Culver", stopped working shortly after its return from the mainland.

Searches were being carried out to try and find the bird, according to a Forestry England spokesman.

"We are keen to hear from anyone who may have seen Culver," he added.

The six birds were collected from the wild in Scotland and were released on the island in August.

They are being provided with food daily and are monitored using the special tracking devices.

The birds, which have a wingspan of up to 2.5m (8ft), had not been recorded in England since 1780.

Natural England has issued a licence to the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation for the five-year reintroduction programme.

The project will see at least six birds released annually, but they are not expected to breed until 2024.