Research Press Release
Scientific Reports
July 1, 2021
Harpy eagles (Harpia harpyja) – which are among the world’s largest eagle species - struggle to feed offspring in heavily deforested areas of the Amazon, according to a study published in
Scientific Reports.
Everton Miranda and colleagues found that harpy eagles rely on specific prey that lives in canopy forests, including sloths and monkeys. Eaglets starved in areas of high deforestation where canopy-based food was limited.
The authors observed prey species, how frequently prey was delivered, and estimated the weight of prey in 16 harpy eagle nests in Amazonian forests in Mato Grosso, Brazil using cameras and identifying prey bone fragments. They also referenced maps and Google Earth to calculate deforestation levels 3-6km around nests. The authors identified 306 prey items, nearly half (49.7%) of which were two-toed sloths, brown capuchin monkeys and grey woolly monkeys. The authors’ observations indicated that har
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Dying of curiosity: Why people shoot harpy eagles
by Claire Wordley on 16 March 2021
A recent study in the Journal of Raptor Research collected records of harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja) persecution across Central and South America.
They found 132 documented cases of people killing the birds in 11 of the 18 countries in the species’ range.
Researchers say that curiosity and a desire to see the birds up close is a major reason that people shoot the birds, followed by fears that they may threaten livestock, hunting of the eagles for meat, and capturing them for the illegal wildlife trade.
Conservationists have established programs trying to protect the birds in several countries across the harpy’s range, but these projects often suffer from a lack of funds.