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Harpy Eagle Harpia harpyja nest activity patterns: Potential ecotourism and conservation opportunities in the Amazon Forest

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 December 2021

EVERTON B. P. MIRANDA Open the ORCID record for EVERTON B. P. MIRANDA [Opens in a new window] ,
CAIO F. KENUP ,
CHARLES A. MUNN ,
NIKI HUIZINGA ,
NICKOLAS LORMAND Open the ORCID record for NICKOLAS LORMAND [Opens in a new window]  and
COLLEEN T. DOWNS Open the ORCID record for COLLEEN T. DOWNS [Opens in a new window]
EVERTON B. P. MIRANDA
Affiliation:
Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P/Bag X01. Pietermaritzburg, 3209, South Africa. The Peregrine Fund, 5668 West Flying Hawk Lane, Boise, ID, 83709, USA
CAIO F. KENUP
Affiliation:
Wildlife and Ecology Group, Massey University, Palmerston North, 4410, New Zealand.
CHARLES A. MUNN
Affiliation:
SouthWild, Várzea Grande, Mato Grosso, 78125-048, Brazil.
NIKI HUIZINGA
Affiliation:
HAS University, 90108 5200, Netherlands.
NICKOLAS LORMAND
Affiliation:
New Mexico Highlands University, New Mexico, 87701, USA.
COLLEEN T. DOWNS*
Affiliation:
Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P/Bag X01. Pietermaritzburg, 3209, South Africa.
*
*Author for correspondence; email: downs@ukzn.ac.za
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Summary

Tourism can be a powerful tool for wildlife conservation if well controlled and responsibly managed. Apex predators constitute particularly attractive subjects for tourism, but simultaneously they may generate conflict with local communities. Harpy Eagles Harpia harpyja are the largest eagle species and are highly sought-after by ecotourists. The last stronghold of the Harpy Eagle is the Amazon Forest, which is being deforested for cattle ranching. We tested methods for developing Harpy Eagle ecotourism as a potential tool to harmonize these issues. Using camera traps, we collected data on timing of Harpy Eagle visits to their nests, as well as on probabilities of viewing an eagle. Harpy Eagles can only be seen predictably during the first 12 of the 30–36 month nest cycle. In nests with nestlings (up to 5–7 months), adults are visible on a daily basis, and this period lasts 16.6% of the nesting cycle, demanding a minimum of 13, 17, and 26 nests to have at least one nest with a nestling on 90%, 95% and 99% of the days. After this 5–7 month window, we found that two and 4.16 days spent at nests afforded high probabilities of sighting a fledgling or adult eagle, respectively. Harpy Eagles were mainly active at the beginning and the end of the day. Activity core lasted 6.5 decimal hours for adults, peaking at 10h00, and 7.45 decimal hours for fledged eagles, peaking at 15h00. Our results demonstrate that Harpy Eagles fit several criteria for a viable wildlife attraction: predictable in activity and location, viewable, and diurnal, even though at the same time they are considered a rarity. In a broader perspective, Harpy Eagle tourism shows every indication of being a significant tool for more robust rainforest conservation.

Keywords

activity patternsapex predatorArc of Deforestationcanopyecotourism
Type
Research Article
Information
Bird Conservation International , Volume 32 , Issue 4 , December 2022 , pp. 609 - 623
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of BirdLife International

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