3 minute read
Plight of the Black Harrier
Next Article
SAVING THE BLACK HARRIER
The Kromme Enviro-Trust is on a mission to save these endangered birds.
Written by Maggie Langlands.
The biggest threat to the harrier is habitat loss due to agriculture, urbanisation, and invasion of its habitat by alien
The Black Harrier, or Witkruisvleivalk, is found mainly in the Western Cape and in the Kouga region. We are fortunate indeed to have Black Harrier in our area. But unfortunately, it is the most endangered of the raptor species: there are estimated to be only 1300 remaining individuals globally. Compare this to a rhino population of around five and a half thousand, and you immediately realise this bird’s danger. It is the world’s most range-restricted raptor, endemic to South Africa, Lesotho and Namibia.
Dwindling population. The experts estimate a reduction of 2.3% in Black Harrier population numbers every year. In the Overberg, for example, only about 60 pairs remain from a population estimated at 1500 pairs in the 1800s. If nothing is done, this species will go extinct in 75 years.
Posioning through rodenticides These birds rely on pristine, unfragmented patches of vegetation of the Cape Floral Kingdom, so conservation of this vegetation type is critical. The biggest threat to the harrier is habitat loss due to agriculture, urbanisation, and invasion of its habitat by alien vegetation. Other threats are wind turbine collisions and poisoning through rodenticides. The
Black Harrier is a specialist predator of mice and birds, so the use of rat poison is a severe threat.
Education and monitoring We need to mobilise to raise awareness of the Black Harrier’s plight and raise funds towards tracking and monitoring the local population. We also need to educate our kids about this amazing and charismatic bird that we are so lucky to have sharing our corner of the country. We need to avoid using rat poison, and above all, we need to conserve what remains of the natural vegetation.
Kromme Enviro-Trust Members of the public can help and assist by joining the Kromme Enviro-Trust. The latter are fighting to protect the Black Harrier and its habitat. The public can also help by watching out for these birds and sending details of their sightings (date, time, GPS coordinates) to the Enviro-Trust (https://stfranciskrommetrust.co.za/). Sending photos where possible is also a great idea. In addition, they can help by avoiding rat poison. And they can help by telling other people about the danger the bird is in.
