Harpy eagles, the most majestic and powerful raptors in the world, increasingly end up in the sights of hunters, who in many cases kill them out of pure curiosity.
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves himEarth's most majestic birds of prey are increasingly endangered. We are talking about the harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja), a species native to the rainforests, characterized by considerable size and a decidedly disturbing gaze reminiscent of the human one.
With a wingspan that varies that can reach two and a half meters and a weight that can reach about 10 kilos, the harpy among the largest eagles on the planet. Unfortunately, however, this species has been threatened for some time by the deforestation which is destroying its habitat, but also by the hunters who are stalking these fascinating birds of prey that live in the regions of Central and South America.
Revealing the devastating impact of hunters on the harpy eagle population is a report recently published in the Journal of Raptor Research. The study found that at least 1950 harpy eagles were killed in 2020 countries between 132 and 11, including Colombia and Panama. But the toll could be even higher, given that the cases included in the report are only those documented.
Much of the harpy eagles are killed out of curiosity
But why has this species increasingly become easy prey for hunters? Harpy eagles feed mainly on wild animals that live in trees, including sloths and small monkeys, and it is very rare for them to approach livestock. Despite this, these birds of prey frequently end up in the sights of hunters. According to Everton Miranda, a Brazilian scientist who has long studied harpy eagles, curiosity is what drives people to kill these majestic birds.
“People see this big bird of prey (they often don't know what it is) and they shoot him to take a closer look"- explains the expert -" An element that transforms eagles into easy prey for humans is represented by the fact that they remain perched on a single tree for several hours or even a whole day. "
Because of this behavior, people have plenty of time to go home to get the rifle and shoot the animal. Miranda's hypothesis was confirmed by the answer provided by the people interviewed, who admitted with regret that they hit the animal out of pure curiosity.
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Of course, this isn't the only reason people pursue harpy eagles. There are also those who hunt them for food or to sell feathers and claws on the black market.
The harpy eagle has been included by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation) among the endangered species. In fact, fewer than 50.000 specimens of this fascinating bird of prey remain worldwide. But, although programs have been set up in some states like Brazil to safeguard this species, people continue to kill harpy eagles without posing any problems (as if the loss of habitat caused by wild deforestation weren't enough!).
Fonte: The Journal of Raptor Research/Mongabay
Read also:
- The harpy eagle: the most majestic bird of prey on earth at risk of extinction
- Towards a world without birds: up to half of the most common birds have disappeared in recent decades
- The wonderful images of one of the last surviving nomadic women 'keepers of the eagles' in Mongolia
