Widespread population collapse of African Raptors
Published:22 Feb.2024 Source:University of St. Andrews
An international team of researchers has found that Africa's birds of prey are facing an extinction crisis. The report published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, warns of declines among nearly 90% of 42 species examined, and suggests that more than two-thirds may qualify as globally threatened. The study combines counts from road surveys conducted within four African regions at intervals of c. 20-40 years and yields unprecedented insights into patterns of change in the abundance of savanna raptor species.
It shows that large raptor species had experienced significantly steeper declines than smaller species, particularly on unprotected land, where they are more vulnerable to persecution and other human pressures. Overall, raptors had declined more than twice as rapidly outside of National Parks, Reserves and other protected areas than they had within. Worryingly, many species experiencing the steepest declines had suffered a double jeopardy, having also become much more dependent on protected areas over the course of the study.
The study's findings highlight the importance of strengthening the protection of Africa's natural habitats and aligns with the Convention on Biological Diversity's COP15 goal of expanding conservation areas to cover 30% of land by 2030. They also demonstrate the need to restore natural habitats within unprotected areas, reduce the impact of energy infrastructure, improve legislation for species protection, and establish long-term monitoring and evaluation of the conservation status of African raptors. Crucially, there is a pressing need to try to increase public involvement in raptor conservation efforts.