The tale of a Bonellis Eagle Poisoned in North Cyprus

[CyprusWildlifeEco]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXPsCmQmGV8

I strongly urge you to watch this film (by clicking on the link) and share it as widely as possible through social networking sites such as facebook by copying the link and emailing to other people.

On Christmas Eve 2012 Sadik Azimli, a local teacher and wildlife photographer in Guzelyurt, was at Kalkanli reservoir taking photos. The reservoir is frequented by bonellis eagle which, in North Cyprus, Sadik and a group of other naturalists have been following. The group have located and photographed 10 nests in the Besparmak/Pentadactylos mountains from Karsiyaka to Kantara, but there are likely more.

This is a species that is vulnerable in Europe. It's stronghold is in Spain where there are many hundreds of nests and there are smaller populations on Mediterranean Islands and in mountains of Greece and Turkey. A large population also exists in Asia. The small Mediterranean populations are probably important in providing genetic continuity between the Asian and Spanish strongholds, but these populations are small and under threat.

In North Cyprus Bonellis Eagle is now the largest breeding raptor since 3 species before it have become extinct! So its a flagship for raptor conservation. If we can use it to campaign against poisoning and illegal hunting of raptors, and keep this species from going extinct here, we may be able to turn the tide and in future see those species lost return again.

The eagle Sadik found was indirectly poisoned as it had fed from one of many dog carcasses that were found in the area which has been peppered with poisoned bait. Sadik did all the right things in looking after this eagle and certainly saved its life. We were able to mark the bird and one month later it was spotted alive and well at the same site. This film tells that story and includes interviews with Brian Little, an ornithologist who has witnessed firsthand the decline of birds in Cyprus and across the world.

Last year a bonellis eagle was shot. And these are just the cases that we happen to hear about. How many must go unreported or unfound? When you consider that there are only 10 pairs nesting in North Cyprus, these events if unchecked will lead to the extinction of this last remaining large raptor of North Cyprus.

We are trying to find funds to launch awareness raising projects and studies on this issue so the more attention this subject receives the better.