Sad news:
The male from the only breeding pair of Spanish Imperial Eagle Aquila adalberti in Portugal in 2008 was found dead with shotgun pellets in Guadiana Valley, in southern Portugal. It is presumed that this illegal shooting occurred between the 21st and the 23rd of February 2009.
The body of this critically endangered species was found last Friday, the 27th of February close to its nest, on a private hunting association field. Fortunately the chick had already left the nest and is independent from his parents.
According to the Portugal vertebrates red list, there are only 2 to 5 pairs of Spanish Imperial Eagle (all in mainland Portugal) and last year only one have successfully bred, the one which male is now dead...
Source: Publico newspaper - última hora
2nd February 2009 by Helena Geraldes
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