October 14, 2020
Cyprus

Rare Bonelli’s Eagle found dead near wind farm

Financial Mirror | 14th October 2020 | www.financialmirror.com

A rare bird of prey, Bonelli’s Eagle, was found dead by the Game and Wildlife Service, probably killed after it crashed into a nearby wind farm turbine at Ayia Anna, just outside Larnaca.

It was one of 25 Bonelli’s eagles that have been tagged by the Cypriot authorities as part of the #LIFEBonelliEastMed programme and carry a tracking transmitter, which indicated it had stopped moving.

The Game Service said this bird, a medium-sized eagle with distinctly elongated legs and massive feet and talons, was found dismembered and is the first case of being killed by the impact on a wind turbine.

It said that overseas, these eagles often crash into wind turbines, high voltage electricity cables or electrocution, like other large-sized birds of prey.

This particular eagle was tagged and released on September 26 and is among five these protected birds to have died from the 25.

One was found dead from direct poisoning, the other suffered indirect poisoning, another was shot and killed in the Turkish occupied north and one was killed by another bird of prey.

The Game Service warned that the fine for killing such protected birds is €16,000.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2020/10/14/rare-bonellis-eagle-found-dead-near-wind-farm/