Wildlife authorities said last Monday that a Harpy Eagle found bound in a recent video was found suspended in a vine, leading to efforts to release it.
The bird is now housed at the Guyana Zoo in the care of the Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission (GWCMC) and will be released back to its natural habitat once fully recovered.
GWCMC, in a Facebook post, said it had been able to contact one of the individuals featured in the video, Clive Lee, to find out details of what happened. He explained that the individuals had encountered the disturbed bird along a path in Ituni.
GWCMC Communications Officer Deuel Hughes told Stabroek News yesterday that after Lee was contacted by the Commission, he was informed that his son was in charge of shingles. The protected species was subsequently transferred to the Commission. Once received, the bird was examined by veterinary personnel and is now being looked after and monitored by the Commission.
Hughes explained that the men were traveling along Ituni’s trail when they found the eagle suspended in the vine.
“The Harpy shown in the video was touched in rope-like vines. Mr Lee as well as other individuals heard and seen in the video were trying to restrain the animal in an effort to rescue and relocate it safely, ”said the Commission.
The Commission had initially suspected that the bird was being held captive when the video showed four men standing around the Harpy Eagle, which was on the ground with its feet tied in a wooded area .
According to Regulation 7 of the Conservation, Management and Sustainable Use of Wildlife Regulations, the Harpy Eagle is a protected species in Guyana and it is an offense to collect, hold, hunt, kill or otherwise protect a protected species, ‘ r Commission recently. .
He has reminded people to immediately report any encounters they have with wild animals, especially protected species, by telephone (223-0331; 223-0939; 223-0940; 648-8839; 677-3297 ; 624-0049) or by email ([email protected]).