一項研究警告稱，南美洲的食肉性角雕可能會陷入困境

一項研究警告稱，南美洲的食肉性角雕可能會陷入困境

Harpy eagles are perhaps one of the most impressive and ferocious birds on the planet, with an enormous wingspan of up to 2 meters (6.5 feet) - that’s like wearing Stephen Merchant as wings. These birds do not mess around and they're a serious threat for many species in South America where they flit below the tree canopy snatching monkeys and sloths. Their name is actually inspired by Harpyja, the predatory half-woman, half-bird monster of Greek mythology. Basically, they are some seriously badass birds.

角雕可能是地球上最令人印象深刻、最兇猛的鳥類之一了，它的巨大翼展可達(dá)2米(6.5英尺)——這就像斯蒂芬·麥Merchant的翅膀一樣。這些鳥不會亂來，它們是南美洲許多物種的嚴(yán)重威脅，它們在樹冠下飛行，抓走猴子和樹懶。他們的名字實際上是受了Harpyja的啟發(fā)，Harpyja是希臘神話中半女人半鳥的食肉怪物?；旧?，它們是一些非常厲害的鳥。

These top-tier predators are also elusive animals, steering well-clear of human settlements. As such, they’ve disappeared from ranges encroached upon by human activity and, at the time of writing, they are listed as “Near Threatened” on the IUCN Red List. However, recent research published in the journal Ecology & Evolution has warned that the Harpy could be in more trouble than we realize.

這些頂級掠食者也是難以捉摸的動物，它們遠(yuǎn)離人類居住地。因此，它們已經(jīng)從人類活動所侵占的范圍內(nèi)消失，在寫這篇文章的時候，它們還被列入世界自然保護(hù)聯(lián)盟(IUCN)的紅色名單中，被列為“瀕臨威脅”。然而，最近發(fā)表在《生態(tài)與進(jìn)化》雜志上的一項研究警告說，角雕的麻煩可能比我們意識到的要大。

Led by researchers from the University of Plymouth, UK, the new study suggests that the existing methodology used to assess the population size of the species' is overestimating their distribution. The study combined sightings with environmental data to carry out spatial modeling and analyses that took into consideration the birds’ habitat preferences.

由英國普利茅斯大學(xué)的研究人員領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的這項新研究表明，現(xiàn)有的評估物種數(shù)量大小的方法“高估了它們的分布”。該研究將觀測結(jié)果與環(huán)境數(shù)據(jù)結(jié)合起來，進(jìn)行空間建模和分析，并考慮到鳥類的棲息地偏好。

Rachael Funnell

"More than half of all global raptor species have declining populations,” said senior author Dr Robert Puschendorf, Lecturer in Conservation Biology, in a statement. “So, understanding more about where they choose to live and why should be a critical factor when we are looking at how best to go about conserving raptor populations. The type of model we have presented here is lacking for many rare and threatened species, particularly in tropical regions, but can be a cost-effective and rapid way to direct conservation planning for threatened species."

“全球一半以上的猛禽物種數(shù)量都在下降，”保護(hù)生物學(xué)講師、資深作者羅伯特·普什頓多夫博士在一份聲明中說。“所以，在我們研究如何最好地保護(hù)迅猛龍種群時，更多地了解它們選擇在哪里生活以及為什么生活應(yīng)該是一個關(guān)鍵因素。我們在這里提出的這種模式對于許多稀有和瀕危物種來說是缺乏的，尤其是在熱帶地區(qū)，但它可以是指導(dǎo)瀕危物種保護(hù)規(guī)劃的一種經(jīng)濟(jì)有效且快速的方式。”

Their model revealed a population estimate that sits at 11 percent below the current estimates published on the IUCN website. There are several factors Harpy eagles favor when selecting a habitat, but the team’s research highlighted climatic moisture as one of the most influential, followed by habitats with a minimum temperature of around 27 degrees Celsius (80.6 Fahrenheit) in the warmest month of the year.

他們的模型顯示，該種群的估計數(shù)比世界自然保護(hù)聯(lián)盟網(wǎng)站上公布的當(dāng)前估計數(shù)低11%。在選擇棲息地時，有幾個因素是角雕喜歡的，但研究小組的研究強(qiáng)調(diào)，氣候濕度是最具影響力的因素之一，其次是一年中最溫暖的月份最低溫度在27攝氏度(80.6華氏度)左右的棲息地。

This information can be used to inform areas inhabited by Harpy eagles which may fail to fulfil the required conditions to support these animals. Areas which are predicted to remain stable for their resident Harpies include the center-most part of the Amazon, Guyana, eastern Colombia, and Panama. The researchers urge that in light of this, these areas should be prioritized for future conservation projects centered around Harpy eagles.

這些信息可以用來通知那些可能無法滿足這些動物生存條件的角雕居住地區(qū)。預(yù)計棲息角雕的地區(qū)將保持穩(wěn)定，包括亞馬遜河的最中部、圭亞那、哥倫比亞東部和巴拿馬。研究人員敦促，鑒于此，這些地區(qū)應(yīng)該優(yōu)先考慮以角雕為中心的未來保護(hù)項目。

Female harpy eagles can be twice as heavy as the males. Image credit: Feather Collector/Shutterstock.com

"Harpy eagles are difficult to observe and live at low population densities, so there has been limited research into what environmental factors influence their range limits,” said Luke Sutton, a PhD student in the University of Plymouth's School of Biological and Marine Sciences and lead author on the research. “Our study shows that predicted future climate stability will be in core areas with extensive lowland tropical forest habitat. That means habitat loss as a result of deforestation is the greatest threat they face, and conservation plans need to take all of that into account."

普利茅斯大學(xué)生物和海洋科學(xué)學(xué)院的博士生、該研究的第一作者盧克·薩頓說:“角雕很難被觀察到，并且生活在低人口密度的環(huán)境中，所以關(guān)于環(huán)境因素影響它們活動范圍的研究非常有限。我們的研究表明，預(yù)測的未來氣候穩(wěn)定性將在擁有廣泛低地?zé)釒謼⒌氐暮诵牡貐^(qū)。這意味著森林砍伐導(dǎo)致的棲息地喪失是它們面臨的最大威脅，保護(hù)計劃需要把這一切都考慮進(jìn)去。”