About the Program
The Endangered Flores Hawk-eagle ranks as the most understudied and threatened accipiter in the world. Locally known in Bahasa as ‘Elang Flores,’ this forest specialist is endemic to the Lesser Sunda Islands of Indonesia. Their population health is not well understood, but it is believed to be declining due to ongoing logging, subsistence farming, illegal gold mining, and poaching. Estimates suggest that their total population is between 320-1,500 individuals, although it may be even less than this. There are currently no scientific publications on any aspects of this species’ biology, except for its taxonomic classification. Further research is urgently needed to inform their conservation.
We have partnered with Usep Suparman and his team at the Raptor Conservation Society (RCS), who have been working on the ground to learn more about these birds and raise awareness of the species in the local communities. His project goals are to locate and monitor the nests of Flores Hawk-eagles across their distribution and collect GPS tracking data from adult Flores Hawk-eagles. Accurate information on the ranging behaviour of the Flores Hawk-eagle is needed to understand the size of their home range, and their habitat preferences. By gathering this information, we can support the development of a National Species Action Plan to better inform conservation needs and actions for the species.
