Aquila audax fleayi (Tasmanian Wedge-tailed Eagle)


ICUN Status: Not Assessed

This is the first shot uploaded from the new 7D II. I'm pretty happy with it, but I was lucky the first shot was good. I ran into to a problem with later shots that's burnt me a couple of times recently: condensation. If you gear is cold and you take it out of you bag and expose it to warmer air, often condensation will form on the lens, creating a soft, almost misty effect. Fashion photographers pay good money for that.

This is the Tasmanian sub-species. While IUCN says it's not assessed, it is listed as endangered by both the Federal and State governments. It's not often that the local authorities list a species as more vulnerable than the IUCN. More often they downplay the risks. There are estimated to be less than 1000 birds, and of that, only 440 adults. The main problem is habitat loss to housing and farming. Farmers incorrectly attributing eagles for stock losses are disproportionately responsible for the eagles’ demise. The management plan states, “It is estimated that a minimum of 5% of adult and 35% of immature Wedge-tailed Eagles (Tasmanian) are killed each year as a result of the ongoing conflict”.

Think about that for a second. Farmers are killing, at a minimum, 22 adult and 196 juvenile out of a population of 1000.

What chance do we have of keeping specialist species such as Orange Bellied Parrot, where the reasons for decline are multiple and complex when we can’t stop the decline of a generalist species where the main problem is the combination of ignorance and guns? Will the next Wilf Batty please stand up?

Update
Apparently he has (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-27/wedge-tailed-eagle-shot-in-tasmania/7791156)