A new study has revealed the alarming state of Africa's raptors, the birds of prey that include eagles, hawks, falcons, and vultures. According to the researchers, nearly 90% of the 42 raptor species in Africa are declining, and more than two-thirds may be globally threatened.
The study, published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, was conducted by Dr Phil Shaw from the University of St Andrews and Dr Darcy Ogada from the Peregrine Fund, a conservation organization dedicated to saving raptors. They analyzed data from road surveys conducted in four African regions over the past 50 years, and compared the changes in raptor populations inside and outside of protected areas.
They found that raptors declined more than twice as fast outside of National Parks, reserves, and other protected areas, where they face a range of human-induced threats. These include habitat loss and degradation, reduced food availability, poisoning, electrocution, collision with wind turbines, persecution by ivory poachers and farmers, and ritual killings.
The study also showed that large raptor species, such as eagles and vultures, experienced significantly steeper declines than smaller ones, especially on unprotected land. The researchers warned that these species are unlikely to survive the 21st Century on unprotected land, and that some of them are already "vanishing into oblivion".
Among the most affected species are Wahlberg's eagle, African hawk-eagle⁴, Long-crested eagle, African harrier-hawk, brown snake eagle, and dark chanting-goshawk, which declined at rates suggesting they may now be globally threatened. Several other previously widespread raptor species, such as the martial eagle and the bateleur, are now scarce or absent from unprotected land.
The researchers attributed the declines to the rapid and widespread conversion of forest and savanna into farmland, as well as the increasing human population and pressures on natural resources. They called for urgent action to extend Africa's protected area network and mitigate the threats in unprotected areas.
Dr Phil Shaw said: "Raptors lead an increasingly perilous existence in unprotected land in Africa, as their habitat, food, and breeding sites have been drastically reduced, and persecution from ivory poachers and farmers is widespread. Since the 1970s, extensive areas of forest and savanna have been converted into farmland, while other pressures affecting African raptors have likewise intensified. With the human population projected to double in the next 35 years, the need to extend Africa's protected area network - and mitigate pressures in unprotected areas - is now greater than ever".
Dr Darcy Ogada added: "Africa is at a crossroads in terms of saving its magnificent birds of prey. In many areas we have watched these species nearly disappear. One of Africa's most iconic raptors, the secretarybird, is on the brink of extinction. There's no single threat imperilling these birds, it's a combination of many human-caused ones, in other words we are seeing deaths from a thousand cuts."
The study was hailed as "important" by a bird expert uninvolved in the study, who also urged for greater protective measures. Veteran ornithologist Ian Newton said: "This is an important paper which draws attention to the massive declines in predatory birds which have occurred across much of Africa during recent decades. This was the continent over which, only 50 years ago, pristine populations of spectacular raptors were evident almost everywhere, bringing excitement and wonder to all who saw them. The loss of these magnificent birds would be a tragedy for Africa and the world."
summary
- A new study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution found that nearly 90% of Africa's raptors are declining, and more than two-thirds may be globally threatened.
- The study analyzed data from road surveys in four African regions over the past 50 years, and compared raptor populations inside and outside of protected areas.
- The study found that raptors declined more than twice as fast outside of protected areas, where they face multiple human-induced threats, such as habitat loss, poisoning, persecution, and electrocution.
- The study also found that large raptor species, such as eagles and vultures, declined more steeply than smaller ones, and some of them are already "vanishing into oblivion".
- The researchers attributed the declines to the rapid conversion of forest and savanna into farmland, and the increasing human population and pressures on natural resources.
- The researchers called for urgent action to extend Africa's protected area network and mitigate the threats in unprotected areas, as raptors are vital for maintaining healthy ecosystems and providing ecosystem services.