New report: over 0.5 the world's raptors have declining populations

New report: over 0.5 the world's raptors have declining populations

We interview our Chief somebody, Stuart Butchart, a couple of freshly printed paper: State of the World’s Raptors. What threats face this picture cluster of birds, and what will we tend to do to help?

By Jessica Law
Why is it vital to specialize in the standing of raptors in particular?

From spectral owls to majestic birds of prey, raptors area unit among the foremost picture birds, however they're additionally extremely vulnerable, with several of the massiver species requiring large tracts of intact forest, et al. persecuted attributable to their supposed impacts on placental or game. we tend to teamed up with researchers at the Peregrine Fund to undertake the primary assessment targeted specifically on the standing of this cluster.

How vulnerable area unit they?

We found that eighteen of raptors area unit vulnerable with extinction and fifty two of species have declining international populations: way higher proportions than for birds generally. specially, raptorial bird species that need forest area unit additional possible to be vulnerable and declining than people who don't, and migratory raptors were considerably additional vulnerable than resident species. the best concentrations of vulnerable species area unit found in South and South-East Asia. 


What threats do raptors face that will show a discrepancy to different bird groups?

Vultures in South Asia have suffered harmful population declines attributable to the ototoxic effects of the veterinary drug diclofenac. In Africa, vultures and owls area unit killed for his or her body components to be used for supposed medicative advantages. several different raptors area unit prone to electrocution or collision with powerlines. however like most bird species, unsustainable agriculture and work area unit the first threats.



What is the role of vital Bird and diversity Areas in raptorial bird conservation?

Given that raptors comprise solely five-hitter of the world’s bird species, a stimulating thirty second of vital Bird and diversity Areas (IBAs) worldwide area unit key sites for raptorial bird populations. Safeguarding and protective these sites is crucial for the conservation of raptors globally. 

What area unit the most recommendations the report makes for safeguarding the world’s raptors?

As well as website protection, we'd like to strengthen and enforce laws preventing hot killing and unsustainable searching. different priorities embrace education and awareness-raising, policy changes like improved regulation on the utilization of poisons, and safety measures for dangerous powerlines. For migratory species, international cooperation is of specific importance, together with through Species Action Plans like those developed underneath the Convention of Migratory Species.

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