Golden eagle left to die "after being caught in illegal trap" RSPB Scotland has condemned the disgraceful suffering caused to an iconic golden eagle, left to die after being caught in an illegal trap. The wildlife charity has issued an appeal and offered a reward of £1000 for information, following the discovery of the body of the young golden eagle on Royal Deeside. Tests carried out on the body of the bird of prey have shown that the eagle had suffered two broken legs due to trauma "that could be consistent with an injury caused by a spring type trap" and that the severity of these injuries "would prevent the bird from being able to take off." The eagle had been fitted with a satellite transmitter and satellite data has shown that the bird did not move for 15 hours from a hillside overlooking Glen Esk in the Angus glens. The data shows that the bird then moved ten miles to a lay-by on a rural road near Aboyne where its body was found on 5 May. Ian Thomson, RSPB Scotland's head of investigations, declared: "It is disgraceful that this magnificent bird was subjected to such suffering. The post mortem evidence suggests that this bird was caught in an illegally set trap, smashing both legs. The data obtained from the satellite transmitter indicated that the eagle did not move from one spot on a hill high above Glen Esk, for over 15 hours. Then, during the night, when eagles do not readily fly, it has inexplicably moved to a new position, hidden under a tree and close to a road. Here, over the next four days, this eagle suffered a lingering death. Stuart Housden, RSPB Scotland's director, said: "Anyone who cares about our wildlife will be disgusted by what appears to be an appalling crime and the lengths taken to hide the facts from discovery. Whilst efforts to stamp out the illegal poisoning of birds of prey are perhaps beginning to yield results, this dreadful case shows that the persecution of our raptors continues through the use of traps and other means. We call upon anyone who can provide further information about this case to contact the wildlife crime officer at either Tayside or Grampian Police without delay. Cases like this really do have a negative impact on Scotland's reputation as a country that respects and values all its wildlife heritage. I am today offering a £1000 reward for information that will assist a successful prosecution.