The extermination and return of the sea eagles

In the 1800’s the sea eagles gradually became extinct as breeding birds in Denmark. At that time, the attitude of most people towards birds of prey and other so-called ”pests” was that they should be totally exterminated, and during the first years of the 20th century this did in fact happen.

Sea eagles attempted to breed again in 1979 and 1980, but were unsuccessful. One of the reasons was that pollutants caused thin-shelled eggs that could not survive the brooding period.

In the following years, young sea eagles often foraged at the Maribo Lakes. As the population of sea eagles in the Holstein area of north Germany increased, it became more usual to see young adult sea eagles at the Maribo Lakes.

Since 1996 the sea eagles became successful as breeding birds in Denmark and in the Maribo Lakes Nature Park. Together with landowners, the public authorities have maintained a ban on public admittance to certain parts of the woods, to protect the nesting eagles.