The Aquila adalberti, better known as the Iberian imperial eagle, has reached the highest number of specimens in Doñana in 30 years this summer thanks to the birth of 14 chicks. The unbeatable news comes as a result of the construction of additional feeding points in the area.

This bird of prey, which is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN Red List of Species, has as its main threat the scarcity of its main food, the rabbit, whose population has declined by more than 80% due to hermorrhagic viral disease and myxomatosis. In addition, electrocution in power lines and poisoning by some poisons that are used illegally in hunting reserves also cause the occasional death of some specimens.

However, the efforts made to conserve the species are bearing fruit and there are already 500 pairs living on the Peninsula, a number that has been growing since the 80s. An example of the projects that have been carried out since 2006 and developed by SEO/BirdLife, with the sponsorship, among others, of the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and the Environment is the land stewardship program Alzando el Vuelo. It involves owners, responsible administrations and the population that coexist with the Iberian imperial eagle in the conservation of natural, cultural and landscape values, through the improvement of the habitat of this species, the sustainable use of natural resources, the maintenance of economic activity and the elimination of threats to the species.

Likewise, the initiative “Development of the figure of the hunter trained for the conservation of necrophagous birds in Spain” of the APROCA association in which the Biodiversity Foundation also collaborates and which is carrying out training courses for hunters that will help to continue improving the situation of the Iberian imperial eagle, among other species.

The conservation of the species is of great importance in terms of biodiversity since the imperial eagle also feeds on sick animals, such as ducks, partridges, pigeons, jays or magpies, thus preventing the spread of pests between populations. Spain is home to 99% of the world’s breeding population and, therefore, is the most responsible for its survival.

In addition, it is an endemic species of the peninsula that stands out for its robust beak, its strong claws and its considerable size (it is 1.75 meters high and has a wingspan of two meters with its wings spread); and it can be found, fundamentally, in the large extensions of the Doñana Natural Park, in the Sierra Morena, in the Montes de Toledo, in the Central System and in some Extremadura mountain ranges.