By Monica Alvarez Malvido | Special and Innovation Project Officer
Hello Friends of the Golden Eagle!
Here an update of the project:
Nesting season began
In February 2017, the eagles' nesting season began. We are currently monitoring active nests in Coahuila, Zacatecas and Aguascalientes. Good news is that so far we have identified more active nesting sites of golden eagles compared to last year! We are also making the arrangements to set up the camera again and film another nest 24/7 like we did last year. Stay tuned for the next report!
More knowledge about the species behavior
Based on the scientific research we are currently doing, preliminary results suggest that nesting territories per golden eagle couple include one to four alternative nests within one kilometer between each nest. It also suggests that couples maintain a specific hunting area of four square kilometers during the breeding period. Another important finding so far is that the availability of food in the hunting area could be one of the key factors that determine the survival of the chick(s), considering that even when they leave the nest they remain close to this territory for at least one year.
Tracking the eagles
We are installing tracking devices in golden eagles to analyze the movements of the species in Mexico. A preliminary result suggests that golden eagles spend in average more than 50% in areas of natural pasture and temporary agricultural areas. We also started a population genetics study in order to estimate the potential size of the population in the country.
As we understand better the genetics, movements and behavior of the golden eagle, we can prioritize the existing resources and efforts towards high-impact conservation actions.
Golden eagle expert´s meeting to be held in May 2017
The third meeting of experts in golden eagle will be held in May 2017. In this meeting, national and international experts and all the participants of the project will present the results of 5-year work in golden eagle conservation. The following years´ action plan will be defined based on the lessons learned and the new challenges of the species.
So far we have there are only wild 119 pairs of golden eagle identified in Mexico. We need your help to increase the population of our national symbol!
Thanks for your support,
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