The herd’s owner Donald John Cameron believes the huge birds – also called white-tailed eagles – are the most likely culprit for the disappearance of the weeks-old foals.
If they are it would be the first time foals had been taken by the birds since their reintroduction to Scotland in 1975 after extinction here 60 years earlier.
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“I can’t see any other explanation,” said the crofter from Lochskipport on South Uist.
Cameron says the birds arrived in South Uist about seven years ago, and he sees them circling his sheep and ponies. The birds can have a wingspan of 8ft.
He has called for Scottish Government wildlife agency NatureScot to investigate the disappearance. In response the agency says it will examine sea eagle nests near Cameron’s home, as part of planned checks to see what the birds are eating, prompted by complaints of them taking lambs.
The crofter hopes that check will confirm the birds have taken the foals. He has found no trace of the young animals in the area the herd lives, and says the behaviour of the foals’ mothers indicates they have been predated.
The foals are heavier than lambs, which NatureScot says are sometimes taken by sea eagles. Cameron points to evidence elsewhere of the birds taking deer calves the size of his foals. The missing foals were born to his smaller mares, and are likely to have been smaller.
If NatureScot find evidence the birds were responsible, Cameron would like them moved, or other help to protect his herd.
The ponies, which roam the moorlands above Cameron’s home, are part of the agritourism business he runs with partner Lindsay Robertson.
He said: “We advertise pony experiences, and people ask what animals you have, and we tell them ponies and foals… but if the next day we’ve only got ponies, it’s not good for anyone.”
The ponies vanished over a nine-week period this year. They are highly unlikely to have been stolen as the only road access is past the Cameron’s isolated house at the end of a single-track road.
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The Camerons’ daughter Cara, aged four, befriended one of the foals which vanished, leaving the family stunned.
“They’re not dissolving into thin air,” said Cameron. “We have had Shetland ponies for 60 years-plus, and nothing like this has happened before. The only difference in the last few years is that we have a bigger presence of white-tailed eagles.”
David Colthart is a farmers’ representative on the National Sea Eagles Stakeholders’ Panel set up to tackle concerns that the reintroduced predators attack livestock. He said: “This the first time I have heard of [white-tailed eagles] being suspected of lifting Shetland pony foals. I have seen photos of them carrying deer calves so it’s not impossible given the small size of Shetland foals.”
He welcomed the planned NatureScot nest checks, and said it is important for worried framers to contact the agency: “A huge amount of collaborative work has been done between NatureScot and farmers over the last several years to trial mitigation works to try and reduce sea eagle predation where it has been an issue.”
A NatureScot spokesman said Cameron had contacted the agency about his concerns the foals had been taken by sea eagles, and added: “While there is currently no direct evidence to support his view, we will be analysing prey remains from sea eagle nests across North and South Uist this year to help inform our wider work with farmers and crofters on the issue of predation [of lambs]. This will include visits to nest sites near Mr Cameron’s holding.”
They said Cameron had been given advice on support available through NatureScot’s Sea Eagle Management Scheme, and would welcome his application.