Population, distribution and ecology of the Madagascar fish eagle

The study of the population, distribution and ecology of the Madagascar Fish Eagle(Haliaeetus vociferoides), an endemic, Critically Endangered (CR) species, took place from July 2016 to January 2017 in the western part of the island. Sightings encompassed a vast area, stretching from Nosy Hara in the north to Morombe in the south, including Protected Areas and lake ecosystems. A total of 193 individuals were counted, comprising 68 breeding pairs, 5 solitary adults, 7 sub-adults and 34 juveniles. Marked differences were observed between populations in protected and unprotected areas. A slight increase in numbers was observed from 2006 to 2016. The species is distributed along Madagascar's northwest and mid-west coast, between Nosy Hara and Belo-sur-Tsiribihina, with Maevatanana as its inland limit. It nests on tall trees, and is threatened by various human activities such as hunting, egg and eaglet collection, deforestation, overfishing and the conversion of lakes into rice fields.