RAMANATHAPURAM: The White-bellied Sea Eagle, a majestic coastal raptor species, is facing increasing threats in Tamil Nadu due to habitat loss and human disturbances, according to a five-year study conducted in the Gulf of Mannar region. The findings of the study were published on June 26 in the international scientific journal — Journal of Threatened Taxa.
Though the species has a strong presence in Australia and parts of Southeast Asia, its population in India, particularly along the Tamil Nadu coastline, remains a matter of concern, bird researchers said. The White-bellied Sea Eagle is among the largest coastal birds of prey, with a wingspan stretching between five and seven feet.
Equipped with powerful talons and a sharp beak, the eagle hunts fish and sea snakes along coastal waters. Researchers pointed out that the bird, and not the smaller Brahminy Kite, is the actual Garuda depicted in ancient mythology.
A continuous study on the species in the Gulf of Mannar region has been carried out for the past five years by environmentalist and bird researcher N Raveendran of Amrita Nature Foundation, along with Dr Baiju and research scholar Maithri.
The study found that the eagles, which traditionally depended on tall trees for nesting, are increasingly shifting to artificial structures such as electricity transmission towers, telecommunication towers and other man-made installations.
”The loss of large nesting trees due to cutting and increasing human interference in natural habitats are forcing these birds to choose unsafe alternatives like high-tension electricity towers for nesting,” said N Raveendran.