`Burung Garuda' RI's unknown endangered raptor<\/p>\n
By Jan Wind<\/p>\n
BOGOR, W. Java (JP): Burung Garuda Indonesia or the Javan Hawk
\nEagle, is one of the world's most endangered raptors, yet remains
\nlargely unknown.<\/p>\n
Its protection in the wild is urgent. It was therefore
\nthoughtful to select this species as the republic's national
\nbird. However, it is still unclear whether this new status will
\ninduce timely action to save this species from extinction.<\/p>\n
So far the new status has merely increased the threats to the
\nbird, while the positive impact is yet very low, very few people
\nknow that the Javan Hawk Eagle is the national bird, and even
\nless are able to identify it in the field.<\/p>\n
Local funds to study, monitor or protect this truly
\nmagnificent bird are minimal. Some attention is given in the
\nframework of surveys on Red Data Book bird species and on
\nidentification of Important Bird Areas (IBAs) by the directorate
\ngeneral of forest protection and nature preservation (PHPA) and
\nBirdlife International.<\/p>\n
The Javan Hawk Eagle is restricted to the densely populated
\nisland of Java. There are none to be found on either Sumatra or
\nBali. This despite the fact that the distance between Bali and
\nJava is only a few kilometers of sea and the forested mountains
\nof Bali are easily seen in the East Javan bird habitat of Mount
\nIjen.<\/p>\n
The estimated total population of the Javan Hawk Eagle has
\ndropped to an all time low of some 150-200, thinly spread over
\nsome 25 separate mountain and hill forest blocks. They are mainly
\nfound in the western and eastern parts of Java, where most of the
\nremaining 8 percent of the island's natural forest is found.<\/p>\n
Resit Sozer and Vincent Nijman, biology students of the
\nUniversity of Amsterdam who are currently studying the eagle have
\nconfirmed that the species also still occurs in some mountain
\nareas of the sparsely forested Central Java.<\/p>\n
This probably indicates that west and east Java populations
\nare not yet isolated from each other. They may still form one
\n\"megapopulation\" distributed over a number of forest patches that
\nare connected by the movement of individuals in the population.<\/p>\n
However the gaps between populations may soon become too wide
\ndue to further habitat loss and fragmentation, or due to genetic
\ndrift in the smaller mountain refuges. The one megapopulation
\nwill then split into smaller populations. Chances of degeneration
\ndue to inbreeding will increase, and the vulnerability linked to
\nlow numbers may result in total extinction.<\/p>\n
Bird ecologists estimate that a breeding pair needs a range of
\nat least 3,000 - 5,000 hectares of good natural forest, usually
\nwith two or three valleys and mountain slopes. This means that
\none of the largest contiguously forested conservation area in
\nJava, the Gunung Halimun National Park (40,000 hectares) will
\nharbor only around 10 breeding pairs provided all suitable
\nhabitats are occupied.<\/p>\n
Javan Hawk Eagles are supposedly not different from other
\ntropical Hawk Eagles in being very slow reproducers. They become
\nmature after 3-4 years and produce only one nest with one young,
\nonce every 2-3 years. Thus, an area such as the Gunung Halimun
\nNational Park will on average only produce five young birds a
\nyear when circumstances are favorable.<\/p>\n
It was therefore disturbing to learn last month that a
\nshopkeeper in Bojong Galing village on the road to Pelabuhan Ratu
\nwas openly selling two juvenile Javan Hawk Eagles. They were said
\nto have been obtained a few months earlier from Banten, and were
\nlikely robbed from nests within the Halimun area. Two young birds
\nfrom Halimun would mean a loss of some 40 percent or more of all
\nyoung birds to be produced this year from that area. It is
\nfurther not unlikely that the nest robber killed the parent bird
\nor birds who usually fiercely protect their young.<\/p>\n
The new status of the species as the country's national bird
\nhas unintentionally increased the pressure to capture Javan Hawk
\nEagles. Zoos and other animal parks all want to have their own
\nBurung Garuda Indonesia on display. Taman Mini was the first to
\nobtain one, and now has a subadult bird. The two juvenile birds
\nfrom the shop in Bojong Genting are now owned by the Safari Park
\nin Cisarua, which already had obtained an adult bird.<\/p>\n
The full ecology and behavior of the species has yet to be
\nstudied. Little is known about population density at different
\naltitudes used by the birds, their diet, mating behavior,
\nhatching periods, nest choices and location.<\/p>\n
The bird is described as a \"slope specialist\" from hill forest
\nareas. To obtain its food, including small mammals and snakes, it
\nwill hunt over natural forest areas from lowlands to mountain
\ntops.<\/p>\n
Not known is the effect of cultivated areas between forested
\nmountain areas, the critical width of such areas, the type of
\nland use and land cover that can be used as wildlife corridors or
\nstepping stones between larger forest blocks.<\/p>\n
The Javan Hawk Eagle forms a suitable key species or indicator
\nspecies to monitor environmental quality related to natural
\nforest area, their connectivity and integrity.<\/p>\n
Funds are urgently needed to study the species, to monitor its
\npopulation, to halt illegal nest robbing, capturing and selling
\nof the birds, and to protect the forest from further degradation
\nand fragmentation.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, the speed of forest degradation and fragmentation
\nof the remaining natural hill and mountain forests in Java has
\nmuch slowed down during the last decade, but it still forms an
\nimportant threat. The most serious threats to the Javan Hawk
\nEagle are increasingly linked to \"hobby \" hunters, nest robbers,
\nbird sellers and bird keepers.<\/p>\n
Zoos and safari parks tend to over stress their role in ex-
\nsitu conservation to justify the keeping of endangered species.
\nIt is questionable if they are ready to start breeding raptors
\nsuch as the Javan Hawk Eagle.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, they have a very important role to play to
\ninduce care for wildlife and to educate people on the need for
\nin-situ conservation of species in the wild. It would be a
\nlogical step for zoos and animal parks to further strengthen
\nlinkages between ex-situ and in-situ conservation. This can be
\ndone by improving their educational and interpretation facilities
\non species ecology and status, by supporting field studies on
\nendangered and little known species, and by funding protection
\nactivities.<\/p>\n
Ex-situ conservation, breeding facilities and management
\nshould be planned very carefully. They must be based upon proper
\nknowledge of animal behavior in the wild.<\/p>\n
The first priority is to keep the remaining natural forest
\nareas in good condition, and to guarantee an undisturbed forest
\nhome for breeding pairs. This, to maintain one viable
\nmegapopulation where the subadult birds can still merantau from
\none forested to the next, not too distant one, in its struggle
\nfor life and survival.<\/p>\n
The writer is a conservation planner\/ecologist.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/burung-garuda-ris-unknown-endangered-raptor-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }