Wildlife authorities last Monday said that a Harpy Eagle that was seen bound in a recent video was found tangled in a vine, resulting in attempts to free it.
The bird is now being housed at the Guyana Zoo in the care of the Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission (GWCMC) and will be released back into its natural habitat once it fully recovers.
GWCMC, in a Facebook post, said that it had been able to make contact with one of the individuals seen in the video, Clive Lee, to ascertain the details of what took place. He explained that the individuals encountered the distressed bird along a trail at Ituni.
Communications Officer of the GWCMC Deuel Hughes told Stabroek News yesterday that after the Commission made contact with Lee, it was informed that his son was caring for the eagle. The protected species was subsequently handed over to the Commission. After being received, the bird was examined by veterinary personnel and is now being cared for and monitored by the Commission.
Hughes explained that the men were traveling along the Ituni trail when they discovered the eagle tangled in the vine.
“The Harpy shown in the video was tangled in a vine similar in appearance to a rope. Mr. Lee as well as other individuals heard and pictured in the video were attempting to restrain the animal in an effort to safely rescue and relocate it,” the Commission said.
The Commission had initially suspected that the bird was being held captive as the video showed four men standing around the Harpy Eagle, which was on the ground with its feet tied in a forested area.
According to Regulation 7 of the Wildlife Conservation, Management and Sustainable Use Regulations, the Harpy Eagle is a protected species in Guyana and it is an offence to collect, hold in captivity, hunt, kill or otherwise a protected species, the Commission recently said..
It has reminded persons to immediately report any encounters they have with wild animals, particularly protected species, via telephone (223-0331; 223-0939; 223-0940; 648-8839; 677-3297; 624-0049) or via email (wildlifemanagementauthority@gmail.com).