Cobre Panama and Peregrine Fund continue to contribute to the conservation of the National Bird of Panama

– Darien is home to the largest known population of Harpy Eagles in Central America.
– In Donoso, a pair of Harpy Eagles has already had its sixth chick.

Panama, August 07, 2023 – Cobre Panama and The Peregrine Fund have reaffirmed their cooperation alliance for the conservation of the Harpy Eagle in Panama. For more than 10 years they have strengthened the conservation of this species in Darien and Donoso, through concrete actions such as the detection of human threats, sustainable projects to mitigate forest loss and intense education campaigns.

According to José de Jesús Vargas, Director of The Peregrine Fund in Panama, this alliance has allowed them to focus their efforts on the ecological education of this species in classrooms, both in Donoso and Darién, with the objective of “sowing knowledge in fertile soil in future generations, and to adults in the communities, to create awareness in current stakeholders and decision makers about the use of natural ecosystems”.

In Darién, home to the largest known population of harpy eagles in Central America, environmental education and the participation of the Emberá and Wounaan communities have been one of the organization’s most effective strategies, Vargas said. In this region, awareness has been raised about the importance of protecting the harpy eagle and community development is promoted with actions that mitigate the most important threat facing this species, which is the loss of forests.

“We believe that knowledge provides tools and supports the development of awareness and ownership, and it has been evidenced in the Pacific region of Darien province, where there have been no reports of harpy eagles killed by human causes since 2016,” Vargas said.

This achievement has been the result of more than 23 years of effort by the Peregrine Fund to strengthen local capacities in the communities of Darien. As a result of the technical training, the community members contribute with the organization to evaluate the population parameters that lay the groundwork for creating scientific guidelines for the conservation of this species.

Vargas affirmed that scientific knowledge is the transcendental basis of his organization. “We are bringing biological science to practical science, working hand in hand with local people in identifying and implementing nature-based actions that support the local economy while helping to mitigate the deterioration of the ecosystems where the harpy eagle breeds,” he added.

Moreover, also in Donoso, in addition to education campaigns, Peregrine Fund and Cobre Panama zoologists have been monitoring the nest of a pair of Harpy Eagles for more than 10 years. At the end of 2022, they reported the hatching of their sixth chick/chick, which this year is preparing to fly.

Alejandro Chambi, Manager of Cobre Panama’s Environmental Department, said: “this alliance has strengthened our company’s efforts with results that, after a decade, confirm that science is the best ally for the conservation of the species of interest that we are committed to protect”.