The last surviving golden eagle in Wales has been found dead by a walker in Powys.
BBC Springwatch presenter Iolo Williams, who had been tracking the popular bird - who had a Facebook fan page - said: "We are a poorer country without her."
The bird was discovered in Abergwesyn Valley, but it isn't yet clear how the bird actually died.
Williams added that the death was 'more than the death of just an eagle'.
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He'd been following the bird around the remote areas of the Cambrian Mountains as part of a series called Iolo: The Last Wilderness of Wales.
He said: "Wales has lost one of its greatest characters.
"The demise of this magnificent bird is more than just the death of an eagle.
"The Tregaron area has lost one of its great characters and Wales has lost a palpable link to its distant past. We are a poorer country without her."
The golden eagle has a wingspan of around 2.2 metres and has been largely extinct from England and Wales since the mid-19th century, although a number of birds are still found in Scotland.
This eagle was previously held in captivity, but had been released to soar above the mountains of Tregaron.
She was caught and added to the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme that is operated by the Welsh government by one of Iolo's television crew.
It is hoped that the species can eventually be re-introduced into the wild in Wales. This might not be easy, however.
The Eagle Reintroduction Wales project claims that any proposed reintroduction will require a licence from Natural Resources Wales, which could potentially take a long time.
Natural Resources Wales would have to look at the feasibility of the project from many perspectives, including whether the eagles and surrounding ecological systems can co-exist, economic feasibility, social and political feasibility, and risk assessments.
The last recorded breeding pair of golden eagles was discovered living in Snowdonia back in 1850. The species is native to Wales, as well as large parts of Europe and North America.
The production company who made Iolo's show, Aden Productions, said they were 'shocked and saddened' after learning of the bird's death.
They tweeted: "Our whole crew was shocked and saddened to hear about the demise of our beloved Cambrians golden eagle, the last golden eagle to fly wild in Wales. We hope our final episode of Iolo: The Last Wilderness of Wales is a fitting tribute to her."
Featured Image Credit: PA