3 Spanish Imperial Eagles Poisoned!!

[Peter]

3 Spanish Imperial Eagles Aquila adalberti were killed by poison, from the pair near Isla Mayor, Donana. The female and two chicks were found dead last week, the male is missing. May the perpetrators of this most cowardly of acts rot and fester!!

I am afraid news like this just leaves me cold and speechless. 

Peter

[Peter]

And the story gets even worse! I had this report from an investigative source and I quote:

"thank you for quick response. The horrible thing is that the poison was hidden in rabbits, which someone layed directly under the nest in the first days of July - the man knew what he did..."

A very very angry Peter 

[Peter]

As yet nobody has been caught. Right now they are searching for the male, hopefully he survived. I will let you know any news. I still feel numbed by the ability and mentality of this kind of sub human behaviour. If caught the person could very well face an extremely hefty fine and/or even a jail term. Of course I would like to do far worse to the offender!

Peter 

[TonyB]

This mind is boggling at the idiocy and cruelty of this.  I very sincerely hope that the perpetrator is caught and an example is made of him/her pour encourager les autres.

[Peter]

Announcement - ABS 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

[Derek]

Any news on what's happened since the last post? Wondered if they caught the b*+"@!$d/s yet.

Derek

[rafiki]

Firstly, Yolanda and I are numb with shock at the news of this catastrophe. But we are confused by the location. We immediately assumed by the first post indicating 'close to Isla Mayor' that it was the nest we know and have watched for a few years in the rice fields at Cantarita. However the press release mentions Veta Ali, Aznalcázar. That is a site we were unaware of.

[Peter]

Firstly, Yolanda and I are numb with shock at the news of this catastrophe. But we are confused by the location. We immediately assumed by the first post indicating 'close to Isla Mayor' that it was the nest we know and have watched for a few years in the rice fields at Cantarita. However the press release mentions Veta Ali, Aznalcázar. That is a site we were unaware of.

Hi Brian,

I am afraid it is the one you know and love. The press release is confusing, but it is the one you could view from the rice fields at Canarita (the only stand of tress around). We are still awaiting news of the on-going investigations, but will post here if we hear anything.

Did you see the guide's link on the main web site? If you look at the format, then happy to add you there.

Peter

[rafiki]

We feared it might be 'our' nest 

I'll get back to you on the guide's link Peter. We have visitors at the moment. Back to normal next week.