A national wildlife crime unit and North Yorkshire police officers recently searched a copse on the Snilesworth estate, as reported by The Guardian.
The authorities are seeking clues regarding a missing white-tailed eagle, the largest raptor in the UK, which features a 2.5-meter wingspan.
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The Snilesworth estate is renowned for grouse, partridge, and pheasant shooting. Following the search, North Yorkshire police issued a public appeal for information regarding the bird.
"The eagle's disappearance is being treated as suspicious," their press release said, "and an investigation is underway."
Background of the Missing Eagle
Human persecution previously caused the extinction of white-tailed eagles in England, with the last breeding pair recorded in 1780.
A conservation project on the Isle of Wight has since released 45 young eagles, leading to a pair breeding in Dorset in 2025 for the first time in 240 years.
The missing bird is the fully grown chick from that Dorset pair, which has been satellite-tagged since birth.
Data indicates that birds of prey in the UK frequently face illegal shooting, trapping, or poisoning, often near large game bird shooting estates.
RSPB records show 921 confirmed incidents of raptor persecution between 2015 and 2024, with at least 55% occurring on or near land managed for shooting.
The lost eagle carried a satellite tracker strapped to its back like a rucksack to monitor its nomadic movements.
Tim Mackrill from the RDWF noted that the young bird traveled from the south coast to Scotland before returning to the North York Moors in late April.
"They have a wanderlust," said Mackrill.
"Last winter it was mainly on the south coast but this spring, it did a huge flight up to the east of England, into Scotland and right into the Loch of Strathbeg in Aberdeenshire."
"It came all the way back to the south coast in Dorset, then in late April it went north again to the North York Moors."
North Yorkshire remains a dangerous region for raptors, accounting for 21.84% of confirmed persecution incidents between 2015 and 2024.
Among the 138 killed birds, buzzards, red kites, and hen harriers were the most frequent victims. Data shows 50% were shot, 21% poisoned, and 13% trapped.
The tracking tag recorded location and temperature data every five minutes, transmitting every six hours.
The final signal from the living eagle was received at 1:20 AM on May 1 near a roost site.
"Then it went offline and we have had nothing since," he added. "[Officers] went to see the last known location and nothing was found.
It is suspicious because the tags are really reliable. There is no reason for it to stop transmitting."
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Investigation and Responses
Mark Thomas, head of investigations at the RSPB, assisted police after the tracking signal ceased.
He previously secured convictions this January against gamekeeper Racster Dingwall and two others for plotting to shoot hen harriers on Grassington Moor.
"This eagle has vanished in … the worst county in the UK for bird crime," Thomas said. "North Yorkshire is consistently the worst and has been for like decades."
Thomas suggested that the eagle was likely shot at night while roosting, possibly with the aid of thermal imaging equipment, as these birds do not fly in the dark.
"What tends to happen in this community is people chat," he said. "They will literally go down the pub and say something."
Dr. Ruth Tingay, a conservationist and director of Wild Justice, called for stronger police powers and resources, stating that wilful blindness is no longer an option.
Organizations representing gamekeepers expressed caution regarding the incident.
Marnie Lovejoy from the British Association for Shooting and Conservation condemned the illegal killing of raptors but stressed that the investigation must establish the facts.
"At this stage no one knows what has happened to this eagle, and we hope it is found alive and well," Lovejoy said.
"As an organisation we condemn the illegal killing of birds of prey without reservation – but what has happened in this case is exactly what the investigation needs to establish."
Camilla Swift of the National Gamekeepers Organisation stated that white-tailed eagles have minimal impact on game birds, and noted there is no evidence implicating a gamekeeper.
Andrew Gilruth, chief executive of the Moorland Association, warned against drawing premature conclusions, stating that tags can fail or birds can die of natural causes.
"Once again, conclusions are being drawn before the facts are known. The loss of a satellite signal does not prove what has happened to a bird."
"Tags can fail, leaving activists embarrassed when birds they claim have been killed by gamekeepers have later turned out to be alive.
Birds can also die naturally or fall ill, and satellite tags may not transmit properly if affected by terrain or cover … Allegations are not facts, and speculation is not evidence."
Snilesworth head gamekeeper Charlie Woof declined to comment on the missing eagle when approached.
In 2008, Woof had pleaded guilty to illegally trapping birds of prey using live pigeons as bait on the same estate, resulting in a £100 fine.
"It's private property, I am going to have to ask you to leave," Woof said when asked about the missing eagle on Thursday.
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"I don't know anything about it."
