Hidden in the grass, with its wing feathers clipped and a wound in his left eye, the son of Simón Rayo, a peasant from the Mesa de Pole village in the municipality of Ataco (Tolima), found a huge crested eagleSpisaetus isidori).
The bird of prey, which it can reach between 64 and 74 centimeters long in its adult age, it was defenseless. When he noticed his presence when he went to look at the two cows that his family has in the El Palmar farm, the child was scared by the large size of the animal. He chose then to call his mother, who, in turn, told his father.
Then some neighbors arrived, who pointed out that the bird had to be killed porque supposedly “devours people.” Simon was surprised by the presence of the Eagle. “The truth is that we had not seen this species around here, since we only see this animal on television “, Held.
Seeing that he needed help and against the opinion of his neighbors, He decided to call the Ataco Mayor’s Office, where they immediately contacted the professionals of the Tolima Regional Autonomous Corporation (Cortolima) to attend to the case.
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“When we made the assessment, it was evident that the animal had cuts in its main feathers on both wings, damage to the left eye and, apparently It was domesticated, since it was docile and did not show defensive behavior“Said Diego Castro Neira, Cortolima veterinarian.
The bird could not fly because the main feathers on its two wings were cut off. Photo: Cortolima.
The juvenile eagle had come walking to the farm, unable to fly. The bird was quickly transferred to the center of attention and assessment of wildlife, where it was reviewed and clinical and biological tests were performed to determine the best process for its recovery and future release.
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Simon hopes the eagle can recover and return to where it belongs. “Animals should not be exterminated because yes, it is necessary to look at how we preserve them, how we help them so that in the future they reproduce, since the environment and our survival depend on that. Like this eagle, they exist species that we may not see again and for that reason we should not kill or capture them, “he said.
It is estimated that there are no more than a thousand examples of crested eagles in the world. In Colombia, chicken hunting is the main cause of death. Photo: Cortolima.
And Simón is right, since the crested eagle, which can be found from Argentina to Venezuela, is part of the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which It is classified as an Endangered species due to threats such as indiscriminate hunting, the loss of its habitat due to deforestation and conflicts with humans. Se estimates, in fact, that there are no more than 1,000 copies in the world.
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This raptor feeds on woolly and corn monkeys, porcupines, coatis (Nasua nausa y Nasuella olivacea), squirrels, possums and other small to medium sized arboreal mammals. There are also records that some large birds, such as wild guan, are part of their diet.
However, given the reduction of the forest and the disappearance of some animals that were part of their food system, They have chosen to hunt chickens, a situation that has increased conflicts with humans who kill them to defend their sheds.
Traditionally it lives in mountainous areas where dense forests and jungle predominate.
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