Sam Heughan and Dame Judi Dench have added a touch of Outlander and James Bond to a major Scottish conservation success, naming two young golden eagles that have now taken flight.
Four golden eagle chicks hatched in southern Scotland this year have successfully fledged and are now soaring across the region. All four are descendants of birds reintroduced through a conservation project, offering fresh hope that the growing population could eventually become self-sustaining.
Their arrival brings the total number of golden eagles fledged in the region this year to five, marking an important milestone for the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project.
Dame Judi Dench was invited to name one of the young birds GoldenEye, a nod to her long association with the James Bond franchise. Dench famously played M, the head of MI6, in several Bond films.
“I would like to congratulate the charity Restoring Upland Nature and everyone who has supported their pioneering work to restore this iconic species to record numbers in the South of Scotland.
“A real triumph over adversity.
“It is an enormous privilege to name a golden eagle that has fledged from the nest of an eagle translocated by the project.
“Many years ago, as the first female M, I instructed James Bond to ‘find GoldenEye’ – and here he is.
“I wish GoldenEye a long life soaring in southern skies and RUN the best of luck in their continued work.”
GoldenEye has an especially remarkable family history. The young eagle is the grandchild of the oldest known living wild golden eagle in Europe, a 36-year-old male.
Her father, Shine, was translocated to the region as part of the conservation project, while her mother, Amelia, fledged from the last remaining original nest in the Scottish Borders in 2021.
Sam Heughan Names Eagle After ‘Outlander’ Connection
Outlander star Sam Heughan was also given the opportunity to name one of the fledglings. He chose the name Sassy, inspired by his Sassenach Whisky brand and the Outlander series.
Heughan, who is co-owner of Galloway Distillery and an ambassador for the South of Scotland, said he was honored to take part in the project.
“It is a great honour to be invited to name a golden eagle that represents such hope for the future of this magnificent species in the South of Scotland.
“I’m delighted to know that this magnificent creature might explore the beauty of my hometown and surrounding area, I hope it may even fly over The Galloway Distillery.
“There’s something incredibly moving about seeing a native golden eagle soaring over the landscape and it was truly moving to meet one recently up close.
“It reminds you just how wild, beautiful and special these birds are and how they belong in southern Scotland.”
Dr Cat Barlow, chief executive of Restoring Upland Nature (RUN), described the four fledglings as a significant achievement for the conservation effort.
“Seeing not just one, but four young birds hatch, fledge and fly freely from the nests of golden eagles that we translocated to southern Scotland is a hugely significant milestone in our work to restore the species to southern skies.
“It shows that where there are healthy ecosystems and the risk of interference is low, translocated eagles can successfully integrate into native populations to breed successfully.”
Barlow also praised Dench and Heughan for helping shine a spotlight on the project.
“We are thrilled that Dame Judi Dench and Sam Heughan accepted our invite to name chicks.
“They are both wonderful champions for golden eagles – Dame Judi through her role as a wildlife ambassador, and Sam through his fantastic support of the communities which play such an important part in the project’s success across southern Scotland.”
Michael Clarke, chair of RUN, said the project’s progress has been made possible through support from communities and partners across the region.
“Individuals from all walks of life, including many who live and work in the landscapes they share with golden eagles such as game keepers, farmers and forestry workers, have responded positively to the project and played an important part in its success.”
The successful fledging of the four young birds represents another step forward for efforts to restore golden eagles to southern Scotland, with GoldenEye and Sassy now beginning their own lives in the skies above the region.
