Goals:
Conserve Harpy Eagles and their habitat through a combination of environmental education, increased involvement from local communities, and basic research aimed at testing scientific hypotheses about their ecology in the Pacific region of Darien Province in Panama. Over the next 15 to 20 years, our aim is to complete the world’s first-ever detailed study of the population biology of a large, long-lived, tropical forest eagle. This conservation program includes components of research, ecological monitoring, environmental education and community participation to enhance local capacities for conservation and sustainable management.
Research
Goal: Increase knowledge on movement patterns, habitat selection and survival of young and adult Harpy Eagles and assess vulnerability to human persecution.
Objectives:
- Investigate movement patterns, habitat selection and survival of young and adult Harpy Eagles using satellite and VHF telemetry.
- Evaluation of the habitat used by young and adult Harpy Eagles
- Identify factors that make Harpy Eagles vulnerable to human persecution.
- Identify sites and habitats of high vulnerability to persecution.
- Collaborate with external researchers by providing samples for genetic and molecular studies.
- Publish scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals
Monitoring
Goal: Understand demographic factors and feeding ecology
Objectives:
- Search Harpy Eagle nests and monitor productivity.
- Systematic observations of diet and feeding behavior
- Quantification of natural and anthropogenic mortality
Education, training and community participation
Goal: Change attitudes of local residents towards Harpy Eagles through increased public awareness and community involvement.
Objectives:
- Training of indigenous Embera & Wounaan field assistants in hands-on research and ecological monitoring techniques.
- Carry out an environmental education awareness campaign targeted to local communities.
- Conduct environmental seminars for school children of indigenous communities.
- Broadcast radio PSAs at the national level highlighting the need to conserve Harpy Eagles, raptors and habitats.
- Promote local cultural values and traditional knowledge of conservation as a tool to increase the interest of preserving and protecting natural resources.
- Assist local communities establish protection and management systems for critical habitat of Harpy Eagles by promoting community benefit from tourism value of Harpy Eagles and conservation of intact habitats.
- Publish popular articles at the national and international levels
Expected outcomes
- Reverse the current declining trend of the Harpy Eagle population in Darien.
- Eliminate/reduce human caused mortality and illegal captures of Harpy Eagles through increased public awareness and community involvement.
- Provide scientific information and advice to the Panamanian Environmental Authority (ANAM) and contribute data to the National Action Plan for the Conservation of Harpy Eagle in Panama.
- Contribute knowledge on population dynamics to the Regional (Central American) Conservation Strategy for the Harpy Eagle in order to connect populations by means of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor.
Background:
The Harpy Eagle is an umbrella species: conserving it effectively can also conserve much of the biodiversity throughout the forest ecosystem. Since the mid-1990s, The Peregrine Fund has promoted conservation activities and conducted scientific research on the largest wild population of Harpy Eagles in Central America, located in the Pacific region of Darien Province in Panama.
For decades, human populations have expanded, with consequent widespread deforestation, alteration and fragmentation of habitat, and increased pressure on natural resources. Viable Harpy Eagle populations need large areas of forest and are threatened when the forest is diminished and proper connectivity is lost.
We established this project in Darien in the mid-1990s, building on our field work on Harpy Eagles that began elsewhere in 1992. This wild population is important because it can serve as a “source population” to repopulate areas where the species has been extirpated by humans. This project is a replicable model that involves training local people, research, environmental education, and local community involvement.
Recent Results:
2011 Preliminary Results
In February 2011, we tagged an adult female Harpy Eagle (KZ) with VHF and GPS transmitters. The tagging of this female will contribute to increase knowledge on movement patterns, home range size, habitat selection, parental investment and vulnerability to human persecution.
2010 Results
- A captive-bred juvenile Harpy Eagle in Darien whose activity is avidly followed by adults and children was monitored to collect data on her movements, diet, habitat use, interactions, and behavior. She interacted well with wild eagles already in the area, proving the value of captive breeding, rearing, and restoration.
- Surveys of the breeding status of Harpy Eagles at 44 known nest locations revealed an estimated 33 breeding pairs and three new nests.
- We provided hands-on training in research and ecological monitoring techniques to three technicians, one local volunteer, and three Panamanian students as part of our continuing effort to include local communities in the monitoring and conservation of Harpy Eagles.
Research
We collected data on movements, diet, habitat use, interactions, and behavior of a captive-bred juvenile Harpy Eagle, called KC or Nepono, which was released in Darien in March 2009. KC has become an icon for conservation. Children and adults are constantly asking about the status of this bird and closely follow the radio messages to get updates.
Before KC's release, we had several concerns, mainly regarding her ability to survive in an environment assumed to be saturated by resident wild Harpy Eagles. Today, we can say that KC has overcome the dispersal risks, traversing at least seven territories of wild eagles and showing herself to be a very fit individual. The successful outcome of this experimental release of a captive-bred Harpy Eagle into the wild is clear proof of the great value of our captive breeding, rearing, and restoration efforts.
Spatial (GPS) data show that between January and October 2010, KC has reduced movement rates and has become established in a small area located in a conflict zone in the Panamanian region of Darien relatively close to the Colombian border and has been monitored using only the information provided by the PTT transmitter. We have not been able to monitor KC visually or via VHF telemetry due the risks associated with the guerrillas and drug dealers operating in the area. We will continue monitoring KC based on satellite locations and re-initiate VHF tracking after she moves to a safer region
In addition to KC, we are also tracking one young female Harpy Eagle (144), tagged with a VHF radio in February 2007. Every month, we invested an average of five days monitoring this individual, and through direct observation we recorded data on behavior (observations every five minutes), diet, movements, and habitat use. The young female (144) uses different types of forests to disperse and hunt and employs trees along farming or livestock area boundaries and riverine forest to move through forest patches. This eagle did not show a preference to hunt in a particular forest type.
The habitat that juvenile Harpy Eagles require to survive in nature is currently unquantified. This is an important question that needs to be answered successfully to accomplish our goals to conserve this species. We collected data of vegetation structure from more than 15,000 trees to be analyzed. We also are making progress in the identification of trees, working together with students from the Universidad Autónoma de Chiriquí.
Monitoring
To find breeding pairs and measure productivity, we monitored 44 known Harpy Eagle nest locations from an estimated 33 breeding pairs, and located three new Harpy Eagle nests. We identified that habitat loss is the main threat in the short- and medium-term for this species. Using land cover maps and satellite images, we found that the number of unoccupied nests increases in the study area as forest cover decreases.
In the first quarter 2010, 11 nests had juveniles, one had a chick, two had adults incubating, and one had an adult male present. In the second quarter, seven nests had juveniles, one had an adult male present, and two nests were considered unsuccessful. In the third quarter, five nests had juveniles, one adult was reported, and one new nest was under construction. In the fourth quarter, five nests had juveniles, and four had adults around or in the nest trees.
Mortality
Human activities, primarily shooting and deforestation, are the main known causes of mortality of Harpy Eagles. For this reason, we follow up the reports of birds that are wounded or dead and try to determine the cause of mortality. Four Harpy Eagles were recovered: two adults, one juvenile, and one of unknown age. The sex of three individuals could not be determined. One of the individuals is still alive and is being rehabilitated at Centro de Rehabilitation of Panamerican Association for the Conservation (APPC) in Panama City. At least two of the eagles were shot by humans.
Training
We provided hands-on training in research and ecological monitoring techniques to three technicians, one local volunteer, and three Panamanian students. We provided scientific advice to the government officers of the National Environmental Authority (ANAM) to design an Action National Plan for the Conservation of the Harpy Eagle in Panama.
Project Links:
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Location Note:
Panama, Darien Province
Species involved
- Harpy Eagle — Harpia harpyja
People involved in this project:
Cooperating Partners:
- BBC TV
- Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund
- Embera and Wounaan Communities of Darien
- Environmental Authority of Panama (ANAM)
- Panama’s Universidad Autonóma de Chiriquí
- Sociedad Mastozoológica de Panamá
- Stichting De Harpij
- Tierras Colectiva Embera y Wounaan
- Wolf Creek Charitable Foundation
Combined Federal Campaign # 10639
