Re: DEAD SEA-EAGLE MYSTERY

The symptoms "...two dead sea-eagles a few metres apart, one was crumpled into the ground.  Both were bleeding from the beak and had scratched, bleeding talons.  ..... One vet said that the bird had not eaten for a few days and suffered from internal haemorrhage which could be the result of poisoning.  The other vet said that the results were inconclusive but may have been the result of poisoning. "

My two bobs worth.  I fear that vets, in the absence of any conclusive results, and the presence of multiple fatalities, will opt for the poisoning theory without any real evidence.  Let's face it - what other reason could there be?  Another theory might well be "death by inadventure".  It is always possible that the birds had locked talons (as eagles do) and plummeted to earth being unable to disentangle themselves until too late, or on impact.  The internal haemorrhaging could well simply be a result of the impact.

OK, I don't really know what happened - nobody can - but it's as plausible (perhaps more so) than the poisoning theory.

Cheers

David Geering
Regent Honeyeater Recovery Coordinator
NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service
P.O. Box 2111
Dubbo  NSW  2830
Ph: 02 6883 5335 or Freecall 1800 621 056
Fax: 02 6884 9382



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