Some conservation groups are intervening by breeding the birds in captivity. Last October, the Peregrine Fund relocated five breeding pairs from its headquarters in Boise, Idaho, to the Neotropical Raptor Center.
The birds seem happy to be home, as they've produced four chicks; one additional pair may be expecting.
The eggs hatch in an incubator. After a few days, the chicks are taken to an "imprinting chamber," where they watch adult birds in an adjacent pen, but never see humans.
After six months at the center, the young birds move into a cage in the forest where they will be released. A few weeks later, the door is opened and they begin to come and go, sometimes returning for a meal. Eventually they leave for good.
Since 1997, the Peregrine Fund has released five birds. Careful tracking of these individuals hasn't revealed any biological or behavioral problems with captive breeding and release.
But the birds often range over long distances until they're fully grown, which can place them in danger. When a harpy named "James" wandered outside of Barro Colorado Island, the protected area where he was released, he was shot dead within a day.
Beefing Up Public Education
Poaching is a big factor behind the eagle's demise. The birds are killed by hunters for food, and are collected as part of shamanistic practice or for their feathers.
To combat this, environmental groups have made public education a priority. The Peregrine Fund works with frontier communities that neighbor release areas.
The Panama Audubon Society has programs in ten rural communities. "Our mission is to teach people about the importance of conservation of our national bird because of its key role in a healthy ecosystem," said Karla Aparicio, a field biologist and workshop leader.
The missing piece of the conservation puzzle has been enforcement. Until recently, poachers merely had their victims and guns confiscated or were fined U.S. $15. National bird status means that killing a harpy eagle could send a poacher to jail.
These efforts may insure the survival of the harpy eagle, but there's a larger benefit, according to Salas. "Of all the forest raptors, harpy eagles have the largest home ranges. By protecting them, we are protecting large tracts of forest—and everything that lives there."
"Panama's Harpy Eagles" airs tonight on National Geographic Today at 7 p.m. ET.
National Geographic Today, at 7 pm. ET/PT in the United States, is a daily news journal available only on the National Geographic Channel. Click here to learn more about it. Go>>
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