SEOR: two more Papangues poisoned

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PRESS COMMUNIQUE from SEOR

Saint André, the 17th March 2011

Two male Papangues (Réunion Harriers), victims of poisoning, were taken into care at the end of last week at SEOR’s rescue centre at St André. These two birds were found seriously injured by ONF workers, and quickly transported by the emergency services of the Plaine des Palmistes to the association’s rescue centre. One of the two birds, much too seriously ill, did not survive the poison used (organo-chlorate or organo-phosphorate), despite the veterinary attention they were given.

There is no possible doubt as to why the poison had been used: the eradication, at any price, of a few dogs!

SEOR would remind everyone that the Papangue is a protected species, the destruction of which is forbidden.

Threatened with extinction, it is the only resident raptor on Réunion Island and one of the rarest harriers in the world. The most recent studies, carried out in 2009 and 2010, reported that only 86 nesting pairs were known for certain, and global estimates suggest that its population has not increased for over 10 years.

Since 1997 more than 100 Papangues have been taken to the SEOR rescue centre. 40% of these were victims of poisoning. A bitter pill to swallow, especially bearing in mind that a large part of the territory has just been inscribed as a world heritage site for its remarkable natural assets!

Although the bird welfare network has worked well thanks to the involvement of its partners, these two new cases lead us to firmly condemn these thoughtless and dangerous acts and to demand of the organisations charged with policing nature that they include the struggle against poaching and poisoning of wildlife among their priorities. SEOR reserves the right to take the commission of such acts to court.

Contact : François-Xavier COUZI
Tel : 02.62.20.46.65
GSM : 06.92.24.92.64
e-mail : couzifx@seor.fr
Société d’Études Ornithologiques de La Réunion
13, ruelle des Orchidées – Cambuston
97440 SAINT ANDRE
Tel : 02.62.20.46.65
http://www.seor.fr/

Communiqué SEOR Papangue 17.03.2011