Javan Hawk-Eagle

http://www.squidoo.com/javan-hawk-eagle

The magnificent Javan hawk-eagle, Nisaetus bartelsi, is endemic to the island of Java, Indonesia (Strange, 2001). The species is endangered, with varying estimates of over 600 individuals or 270 to 600 pairs remaining in the wild (BirdLife International). The fact that the Javan hawk-eagle is Indonesia’s national bird should be sufficient stimulus to protect the species, but it remains vulnerable to habitat degradation and trafficking.

Indonesia’s National Bird
The symbol of Indonesia’s state ideology, known as Pancasila, is a mythical bird called the Garuda. Because of the likeness of the Javan hawk-eagle to the mythical Garuda, it was named as Indonesia’s National Rare/Precious Animal in 1993 by former President Soeharto (Wildlife Extra). Given this celebrated status of the Javan hawk-eagle, it would seem that protection of the species would be guaranteed, but unfortunately the opposite is true; the increased attention drawn to the species has resulted in an increased demand for it on the black market.

Threats to the Javan Hawk-Eagle
As is so often the case with endangered species, one of the major threats to the survival of the Javan hawk-eagle is fragmentation and destruction of habitat. This bird lives in mountain forests from 500 to 1000 meters above sea level, each pair needing a home range of approximately 400 hectares with sufficient availability of appropriate food items, small mammals, birds, snakes and lizards (BirdLife International).

Read more at Suite101: Saving the Javan Hawk-Eagle, Indonesia's National Bird http://www.suite101.com/content/saving-the-javan-hawk-eagle-indonesias-national-bird-a319663#ixzz1FzQn7D5R



วัยเด็ก