HOPES are high that North Yorkshire could soon be only the third county in England known to have a breeding pair of golden eagles.

Tara, a three-year-old female who weighs 14lbs and feeds on raw flesh, is now one of the attractions at the Falcons of Thorp Perrow, at the arboretum near Bedale.

Although her grandmother came from Russia, Tara was captive-bred in Scotland and has joined a variety of other birds of prey at Thorp Perrow.

She is expected to live for another 35 to 40 years and has already started to show the striking golden crest famously associated with the species.

Tom Graham, owner and manager of Thorp Perrow, said the acquisition of Tara was a dream come true.

"Golden eagles can be found in North Yorkshire, but there are only two breeding pairs known, in Cumbria and Northumberland. This spring we hope to find a male to allow us to breed through artificial insemination."

Tara and other birds can be seen at Thorp Perrow daily until mid-November.

* Conservationists are hoping that the elusive pine marten will break cover in the North York Moors.

Ten boxes offering the creature the perfect home to raise youngsters are being erected in woodland in the western fringe of the national park, near Northallerton.

Until recently, the animal was thought to be extinct in England, but persistent reports of its presence on the Moors prompted the Forestry Commission, national park, Hull University and local conservationists to instigate a search in October.

Now the pine marten boxes are being installed high in the forest canopy .