Swooping low over a mountainside, this magnificent but deadly golden eagle clutches a bloodied lamb in its talons.

This dramatic picture provides the first photographic evidence that the powerful birds of prey have been snatching livestock from British farmers’ flocks.

It was taken on the Isle of Mull, off the West coast of Scotland, where shepherds have long campaigned against the reintroduction of eagles which they see as a threat to their livelihoods.

Death from above: The golden eagle snatched the lamb on the Isle of Mull. This dramatic picture provides evidence that the powerful birds of prey have been snatching live-stock from farmers

Conservationists – who have not seen such direct evidence as this before – say the birds target only dead or weak animals. It is unclear whether the lamb was still alive in this photograph.

It was taken by a bird-watcher who does not want to be named as he fears that could identify the location of the eagles’ nests, and put the birds at risk from angry hill farmers.

He said: ‘I was visiting Mull with my wife and really wanted to see a golden eagle. I asked around and was directed to an area near Ben More.

8FT KILLING MACHINES THAT FLY AT 100MPH

Suddenly this massive eagle swooped into view. We could see it was carrying something beneath it and my wife, who had binoculars, thought it was a white mountain hare.

‘As it got closer, I said to her, “That’s no hare, it’s a lamb”. It was a very unusual sight and a bit sad for the lamb but it’s nature, and that’s what happens. It’s certainly a sight that neither of us will forget.’

The lamb is likely to have been snatched from the 1,700-strong flock of Donald MacLean, who farms 10,000 acres on the island.

He said: ‘This is a hugely significant photograph, catching the eagle in the act. It proves eagles areterrain is uncompromising and there are all sorts of reasons why we lose lambs. But they are white and easy to spot for the eagles.

‘On one occasion, two eagles were trying to take a lamb from its mother and were struggling. A third eagle came in to distract the ewe and one of the others got the lamb. They don’t show much mercy.’

Jonnie Hall, head of rural policy at the National Farmers Union for Scotland, said: ‘It is an unequivocal fact that eagles do take live lambs. This is a major concern for hill farmers in western Scotland.’

Golden eagles are native to Scotland. However, farmers are more concerned by the reintroduction of the only bigger British bird, the white-tailed eagle.

It became extinct in Britain in the early 19th Century but is being returned to the wild along Scotland’s East and West coasts.carrying off lambs, evidence that farmers need to make their point.’

Mr MacLean is unable to put a figure on how many animals a year he loses to eagles – although crofters in nearby Wester Ross have said that up to 200 lambs a season are killed by eagles.

Mr MacLean said: ‘The terrain is uncompromising and there are all sorts of reasons why we lose lambs. But they are white and easy to spot for the eagles.

Swoop: The eagles have even been seen working in a pack to distract a ewe with a lamb

‘On one occasion, two eagles were trying to take a lamb from its mother and were struggling. A third eagle came in to distract the ewe and one of the others got the lamb. They don’t show much mercy.’

Jonnie Hall, head of rural policy at the National Farmers Union for Scotland, said: ‘It is an unequivocal fact that eagles do take live lambs.

This is a major concern for hill farmers in western Scotland.’ Golden eagles are native to Scotland.

However, farmers are more concerned by the reintroduction of the only bigger British bird, the white-tailed eagle.

It became extinct in Britain in the early 19th Century but is being returned to the wild along Scotland’s East and West coasts.