OPERATION TO RESCUE A YOUNG BONELLI'S EAGLE AFTER THE DEATH OF HIS MOTHER FROM POWER LINES - HE DID NOT ACCEPT FOOD FROM HIS FATHER

 

OPERATION TO RESCUE A YOUNG BONELLI'S EAGLE AFTER THE DEATH OF HIS MOTHER FROM POWER LINES - HE DID NOT ACCEPT FOOD FROM HIS FATHER - Filenews 20/5

A difficult rescue operation was mounted by the Game and Fauna Service to save a young spotted eagle in Cyprus, after its mother died from a collision with a power line.

The competent authorities, monitoring the protected raptor via satellite transmitters as part of a European program, determined that the young was in immediate danger of starvation, which led to a coordinated operation to approach its nest in a difficult area, with the aim of rescuing it and reintegrating it into the wild.

The announcement by the Game Service

A particularly critical and demanding operation was recently successfully completed by the staff of the Game and Fauna Service, with the aim of rescuing a young spotted eagle that was in danger of losing its life after the death of its mother.

The mother of the young eagle, which was being monitored via a satellite transmitter as part of the European LIFE Bonelli EastMed project, was found dead. The cause? A collision with a power line — one of the main threats to large birds of prey, both in Cyprus and internationally.

Our Service officers immediately placed the young eagle’s father (who also carries a satellite transmitter) under close surveillance to determine if he could feed the young one on his own. When it became clear that the young sparrowhawk was no longer receiving sufficient food and its life was in immediate danger, a rescue operation was prepared!

The nest was located in a large pine tree, in an extremely inaccessible area. Despite the difficulties, with coordinated actions and specialized equipment, the members of our Service managed to safely approach the nest and bring the young eagle under their control.

The young spiky eagle was immediately transferred to a specialized veterinarian for care and monitoring of its health, with the ultimate goal of its safe reintegration into its natural environment as soon as it is ready!

This specific event highlights two issues of enormous importance:

The value of scientific monitoring through satellite transmitters and the taking of immediate measures and actions where and when needed.

The imperative need to take measures to insulate and protect electrical power networks, in order to stop the loss of important species of wild bird fauna in our country.