In September 2024, a young female fox was found dead in Kirkwall, the second such fox to be found in such a state in Orkney, where there is no known fox population. The assumption is that fox likely died from a road traffic accident, with post-mortem results indicating injuries sustained after death. Speculation suggests it may have been brought from the Scottish mainland, raising public health concerns about introducing non-native species. Local authorities warn against bringing animals to the island due to the risk of infectious diseases. The incident has been reported to the police.

At Black Foxes UK, we’ve noticed this intriguing trend regarding deceased foxes being found in Orkney, sparking questions about what might be influencing these changes. One possible factor? The reintroduction of the foxes' natural enemy - sea eagles, which have been vacant from much of the British Isles for 150 years and were re-introduced in several places, in 1980's and again after the turn of the millennium.  

"In Orkney, a pair of White-tailed Eagle nested on RSPB Scotland's Hoy nature reserve in 2015 for the first time in nearly 150 years (last pair nested in 1783). The birds failed to breed until 2018 when they fledged two chicks. In 2019, the same pair fledged two chicks but one died"

'Sea eagles' as the white-tailed eagle is known, are larger than their bald eagle and golden eagle counterparts, and are powerful aerial predators. As you can see, there’s plenty of documented footage of all types of eagle carrying off foxes, sometimes dropping them in mid-flight once the fox releases its grip on the prey, or even dropping them deliberately, to kill them.

Could the same be happening with sea eagles in Orkney?

One of the foxes has been discovered post-mortem with broken legs, raising the question: were these injuries caused by falls after being dropped by these massive birds of prey? Could some foxes survive such incidents, only to face more challenges as they compete for food in an ecosystem that does not want them there?

On sea eagle predation, Nature Scotland state:

"NatureScot runs the Sea Eagle Management Scheme on behalf of the National Sea Eagle Stakeholder Panel... If you have issues with sea eagles and wish to find out more about the scheme please see the information below... The Sea Eagle Management Scheme extends support for livestock farmers and crofters who experience sea eagle predation impacts.  The scheme was launched in 2015 as one of the actions listed in the Joint Statement of Intent from NFU Scotland and NatureScot on – Sea Eagles and Sheep Farming in Scotland agreed in 2014"

While we can’t definitively say what’s causing the increase in fox reports, it’s a topic we’re closely monitoring. Have you noticed any similar patterns or have thoughts on how sea eagles might be impacting the local fox population? We’d love to hear your insights!

For more information, you can read the BBC’s coverage on this topic here.