Major Threats

• Unnatural mortality – Human-related causes of death, including road accidents and poisoning.
• Persecution – Raptors are still illegally shot, poisoned, or trapped.
• Collisions – With power lines, vehicles, fences, and wind turbines.
• Electrocution – Especially on poorly designed power poles.
• Oiling – Contamination from industrial spills, which can damage feathers and affect survival.
• Entanglement – Getting caught in fishing lines, barbed wire, or other human debris.
• Pollution – Ingesting toxic substances from the environment or contaminated prey.
• Habitat loss – Land clearing, urban expansion, and deforestation reduce nesting and hunting grounds.
• Nest disturbance – Human activity near nesting sites can lead to nest abandonment or failure.
• Population decline – A shrinking number of breeding adults lowers reproduction rates, leading to an aging population with fewer young birds replacing them.
• Climate change – Rising temperatures and changing weather patterns affect prey availability and nesting success. Increased storm frequency can destroy nests and reduce breeding success.
• Secondary poisoning – Raptors often ingest rodenticides (rat bait) by eating poisoned prey, leading to internal bleeding, neurological damage, and death.