Letter to the editor: I have mixed feelings about Eagle Heights maybe having to close (The eagle is stranded, February 25).

I have every sympathy for all the people involved, but I feel that it has all just got too big for them to handle and finance, as being enthusiastic animal lovers they seem to take in and rescue all animals.

I believe they are instrumental in helping the reintroduction of some of our native species of birds of prey and it was thrilling to watch the live flying displays, but we were also traumatised by the amount of these beautiful birds that seemed to spend most of their existence just chained to posts indoors – they might as well have been stuffed trophies.

When I mentioned this to a member of staff I was told that perching quietly is how they would spend the majority of their time in the wild. We were very unsettled – you cannot compare this existence to the quality of life and the choices they would experience by being free.

I decided not to visit again many years ago when the centre had a cheetah that looked distinctly unhappy in a large exposed enclosure without much seclusion on a very muddy site.

Some things are best left for zoos.

Maybe the organisation would be better to not spread itself quite so thin and concentrate on keeping fewer species instead of taking in all and sundry to put on a good show.

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