Nicosia, Cyprus. Wildlife officers rescued a young Bonelli’s eagle on Wednesday after determining it was not receiving enough food following the death of its mother in a power line collision.
Mother found dead during tracking programme
The game and fauna service said the adult female Bonelli’s eagle was being tracked through a satellite transmitter as part of the European LIFE Bonelli EastMed programme when she was found dead after colliding with a power line. The service said power line strikes are one of the main threats to birds of prey.
Monitoring of remaining parent and rescue decision
After the discovery, officers placed the male parent, also fitted with a satellite transmitter, under close observation to assess whether he could sustain the chick. When monitoring showed the chick was not receiving sufficient food and its survival was at risk, authorities intervened and secured the young eagle for immediate care.
Veterinary care and aim of release
The service said the chick was transferred to a specialist veterinarian for treatment and monitoring, with the aim of eventual release back into the wild once it is deemed fit to survive independently.
What measures do you think should be taken to reduce power line strikes on birds of prey?
