Coastcare workers suspended after eagle slain

Two government Coastcare workers have been suspended after allegedly beating an African fish eagle to death in front of German tourists at Lake St Lucia.

The incident happened at Charters Creek camp last week, soon after birding expert Hugh Chittenden spotted a fish eagle struggling towards the shore through shallow water.

Chittenden, an Eshowe birding guide and author of Top Birding Spots of Southern Africa, said he was joined by two German tourists and they speculated that the bird had caught a fish which was too large to fly off with.

In such cases, he said, the birds usually "walked" their prey to the beach, as their flight feathers became wet.

Some time later, Chittenden said he noticed two men dressed in Coastcare overalls pulling the bird out of the water.

Coastcare is a coastal conservation and education project, funded by the department of environmental affairs and tourism, which contributes to poverty relief by providing temporary jobs such as litter cleaning duties.

The tourists told him that they watched one of the Coastcare workers walk into the water to kill the bird with a stick.

The two workers, however, maintained the bird simply floated to the water's edge.

Chittenden, who photographed the dead bird and the two Coastcare workers, subsequently complained to the camp management at Charters Creek and posted a report on the online birding site "Sabirdnet".

"Where else in the world can you witness conservation staff killing an eagle in front of tourists in a conservation area? Imagine what they will have to say on their return to Europe," he protested.

Responding, Greater St Lucia Wetland Park conservation manager Tony Conway said he was "appalled" by what had happened and believed it was an isolated incident of misconduct.

"The two contract Coastcare workers have been suspended with immediate effect and statements have been delivered to their area manager who will be instituting a formal disciplinary inquiry with consideration of criminal charges to be laid against them."

Conway added that the matter was being treated very seriously and said he was saddened "by what you and the German tourists had to experience".