Tragedy in Doñana. Three Spanish Imperial Eagles Poisoned.

[rafiki]

Posted to raise awareness of this catastrophe. There are only about 250 of these lovely, majestic birds left in the world:

Announcement - Andalucia Bird Society Statement:

Ecologists in Action, WWF-Spain, SEO / BirdLife and Andalucia Bird Society (14/07/09)* reported poisoning of three imperial eagles in the Doñana Natural Area (15/07/09)

The Board of Andalusia is required to use all reasonable means and forceful actions to find and punish the guilty. On July 4 in the Doñana Natural Park 3 corpses were found poisoned, a female and her two chicks in the town of Aznalcázar (Seville). In addition, the male of the pair is missing since that date, it is suspected it might also have been a victim of poisoning.

According to the data accessed by the ecological associations, poison was relayed via a poisoned rabbit, which was used as bait to attract the adult eagles in the enclosed supplementary feeding area in the vicinity of the nest, where food is shipped in for meal times by the technicians of the Board of Andalusia for the eagles.

For the environmental associations, place and type of bait used is clear proof of intent to attack directly the imperial eagles nesting in Veta Ali. Given the seriousness of this, the environmental agencies require that both the government and police and state security forces should redouble their efforts to identify and make available for criminal trial those responsible.

This loss is a major blow to the population of imperial eagles in Doñana, which after years of significant declines and on the brink of extinction, had entered a recovery phase, reaching the 9-pairs, for which the couple Veta Ali was essential, as it was among the highest reproductive successes of the Doñana region, with 10 chicks raised in the past five years.

The ecological associations consider this poisoning, which clearly was directed only to remove the pair of imperial eagles in Veta Ali as both an eco-catastrophe, since it means losing a few of the 250 pairs that exist of imperial eagle in the world (and its genetic basis), as economically and socially, because you cannot forget that human and economic efforts are being devoted by the government to ensure the survival of the species endemic to the Iberian Peninsula.

Ecologists in Action, WWF-Spain, SEO / BirdLife and Andalucia Bird Society consider it as unacceptable the ease with which it was possible to access the area and put down poisoned bait, requiring the Ministry of Environment to institute greater efforts in preventive measures for the eradication of venom in Doñana and increased surveillance both inside and outside of protected natural areas. It also asks the prosecution to face an offence like this with due consideration to the seriousness of the crime, initiate the procedures required to clarify and, once aware of their responsibilities, ask for the maximum sentence for such an offence.

Environmental organizations are also called upon to cooperate with investigations and submit any information that may help to identify the person/s or organisations for this poisoning.

* First publicly announced by Andalucia Bird Society on the 14/07/09

ABS Committee

[BENIDORM]

Rafiki,
Such a shame to hear that any endangered species should be deliberately poisoned..

I personally can't understand why anyone should even consider such a despicable act, but I don't have a lot of knowledge about the behaviour of such a bird.
I wonder if someone would want to kill them because of damage caused by them, do they carry disease, or perhaps they are seen as unlucky or is there some other reason..?

I'd be interested to hear any facts and theories....

Regards,
Gordon

[frank]

Rafiki,
Such a shame to hear that any endangered species should be deliberately poisoned..

That's might well be the case here, but it seems that other birds of prey throughout Spain are often killed by farmers putting out poisoned meat to kill foxes, vermin etc. I know in UK, gamekeepers on the moors have killed birds of prey mainly because they take the young chicks of game birds. Don't know if that's the problem in Doñana. There have also been cases of several bears and wolves in the north of the country poisoned as well, the Spanish countryside can be a harsh place.

[rafiki]

AIUI the poisoned rabbit baits were placed directly beneath the nesting tree Frank. Your scenario is still quite possible; but a tragedy no less of course.

[kexon]

It seems to me that poisoning the local wildlife is quite a pastime amongst some of the spanish,including one of my old dogs that we inherited when we bought the house and a prized bird of our next door neighbour.Lack of education of both environment and wildlife is sometimes quite staggering.What an absolute shame for both the birds and the breeding programme.

[frank]

AIUI the poisoned rabbit baits were placed directly beneath the nesting tree Frank. Your scenario is still quite possible; but a tragedy no less of course.

Yes, agree 100%, but as I said, in other parts of Spain, it is not always intentional, but of course the farmers know full well that any poisoned bait is likely to be taken by birds of prey. I know it´s been a great struggle trying to reintroduce the quebrantahuesos back into Andalucia through the center in Cazorla. Last I read, there are 5 still flying around Andalucia, is that correct? Here in UK, numbers of a lot of birds of prey seem to be increasing, and the red kite has been a huge success story.

[katy]

Have been a couple of Lynx poisoned too The spanish won't be satisfied until they have killed off all the rare species and concreted over the wetlands!

[RichardCoeurdeLion]

Having seen some of your wonderful bird photos Rafiki, I wondered if you had any of these?

[rafiki]

Thanks Rick. I have some of the adults and chicks in their nest but from a distance through considerable heat haze so none that I would want to display unfortunately.

[rafiki]

Just to illustrate the majesty of this lovely bird:



Picture courtesy of Iberia Nature.

[rafiki]

Frank: a little more info from ABS on who might be responsible. Peter Jones wrote:

"It is becoming more likely that local farming interests are to blame for these deaths. Investigations are focusing more on the local landowners of the area and we will have to wait until the result of these investigations are made known.

A question remains as to why this year lacked sufficient supervision and policing of this protected site? Certainly the nest was supposed to be kept under constant guard/protection!"

[ValL]

Good morning Brian, fantastic photo from IB Nature you posted there Brian, I must take another look at your website too. It would be very distressing to see such a beautiful bird killed in this or any manner. I hope they are looking into the lack of supervision as well as for the culprits.