I was fortunate enough to be on Rum in 1975 and helped the then island warden feed the first young sea eagle chicks (Letters, May 7 & 8).

Even at six weeks they were enormous – as I recall between knee and waist height.

Five years later I took a school expedition to Rum and led a hillwalking party who sat silently spellbound on the summit of Askival, watching two sea eagles closely circling the summit but slightly below them for what seemed like an hour but was really only about 10 minutes. Several of these students are now environmentalists and teachers, working in conservation and education. I like to think this experience helped them develop these passions.

It is not the fault of the eagles or the then Nature Conservancy Council that Hebridean waters have been so heavily overfished or the increasing water temperature from global warming has reduced fish stocks since. Man rendered the sea eagles extinct and man has re-introduced them. In many ways they are a symbol of hope and give huge pleasure and wonderment to very many visitors to the Hebrides.

Let's hope the re-introduction of the beaver has a similarly positive effect on both habitat management and tourism.

Tony Philpin,

Kinnererach,

Isle of Gigha.