Residents and visitors to the Karoo have been asked to help the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) in its latest study on martial eagles in the area.
The trust’s Birds of Prey Programme is undertaking a study into the breeding ecology and movements of martial eagles (Polemaetus bellicosus) on power lines and other electrical infrastructure in the Karoo.
With only an estimated 800 adult birds left in South Africa, this bird is classified as endangered, and within the Karoo, little is currently known about their breeding and movements.
“As a large part of this population breeds on man-made structures, and in particular electrical infrastructure, we have an urgent need to better understand the current status of this population, as well as the threats they may face,” explained Dr Gareth Tate, manager of the Birds of Prey Programme.
The project is focusing on three main areas: the reproductive success of the population; better understanding of the movement of the birds; and determining the threats faced by both adults and juveniles.
The trust monitors nests along power lines, and GPS tracking and coloured identification rings are used to help understand the birds’ movements through the Karoo.
Anyone spotting martial eagles with coloured rings, or their nests, is urged to report their sightings to Maryke Stern, environmental ecologist with SANParks, on 083 336 3066 or maryke.stern@sanparks.org.
Any injured or dead eagles found should also be reported immediately, to give the experts a better chance of establishing the cause of death and addressing these threats.
By understanding these factors, EWT aims at developing effective and practical conservation measures to safeguard these magnificent birds and ensure their continued presence for the foreseeable future.
