Black harrier in great danger

With only 1 300 black harriers left in the world, this raptor is Southern Africa’s scarcest endemic bird of prey, moving from Vulnerable to the Endangered list almost a decade ago. It is predicted to go extinct within the next 75 years if drastic action is not taken.

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Conservation efforts, led by Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm and its conservation partners in the Kouga region of the Eastern Cape, are working to increase awareness and reverse the current trajectory which shows that the black harrier (Circus maurus) is likely to go extinct within 75 years if nothing is done.

“This beautiful bird of prey is only found in Southern Africa and is in more danger of extinction than the black rhino, which has over 6 000 remaining individuals, compared with the black harrier’s population that comprises fewer than 1 000 mature breeding birds, demonstrating the urgent need for conservation efforts,” explained Marli Schoeman, environmental, social and governance and biodiversity manager at Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm.

Raptors play an important biological role in the control of rodent agricultural pests and other small mammals, an important consideration over and above the services that these birds provide to our greater natural environment.

The black harrier nests on the ground, and it only breeds in indigenous natural vegetation, preferring fynbos and renosterveld. Vast areas of natural fynbos have been cultivated for crops and the harrier’s breeding habitat has shrunk to tiny remnants.

Other impacts are human disturbance, poisoning by agrochemicals and pesticides, and poorly placed electricity powerlines or wind turbines.