Sharp decline of African birds of prey puts them at risk of extinction

Dozens of species of African birds of prey are in steep decline, with many now thought of liable to extinction, based on an evaluation of knowledge from throughout the continent.

Farming and pesticide use, poisoning by poachers and the proliferation of infrastructure like energy strains that may be lethal to birds have lowered numbers of practically all 42 species surveyed.

These embody secretary birds (Sagittarius serpentarius), which declined by 85 per cent over three generations; martial eagles (Polemaetus bellicosus), which fell by 90 per cent on the identical measure, and bateleurs (Terathopius ecaudatus), down by 87 per cent.

Some birds thought to not be susceptible to extinction now are, the examine discovered. As an illustration, African hawk-eagles (Aquila spilogaster), presently listed by the Worldwide Union for Conservation of Nature as being of “least concern”, have been estimated to have declined by 91 per cent.

There are calls to maneuver the itemizing of such species larger up conservation rankings to mirror the adjustments. “We’re positively hoping this paper will add strain to uplist the remaining [of the surveyed species now facing threats], sooner fairly than later,” says examine creator Darcy Ogada from The Peregrine Fund, a US-based organisation.

Knowledge was gathered from greater than 53,000 sightings of the 42 species on practically 100,000 kilometres of surveyed roads in Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, Cameroon, Botswana and Kenya between 1969 and 2020.

Further knowledge got here from the newest Southern African Chook Atlas Venture, a citizen science-led survey.

The researchers discovered that declines among the many 42 species have been greater than twice as dangerous in unprotected areas than in protected ones, displaying that well-managed nationwide parks and reserves are vital to aiding the birds’ long-term survival.

Extra work to know the destiny of such birds is required. “We should always urgently improve research that estimate raptor inhabitants tendencies based mostly on modelling the lack of threatened habitats reminiscent of forests, wetlands and grasslands, or the loss or mismanagement of protected areas,” says Ogada.