Descending to Bonelli’s eagle nests in Greece

For the past 6 years, the teams of the LIFE Bonelli eastMed project systematically monitor the species’ territories in Crete, the Cyclades and the Dodecanese, as well as in the regions of the Peloponnese, Attica and Evia. Where feasible, specially trained collaborators of various expertise, including climbers and cavers, are recruited to help us approach the nests that are often hidden in cavities of steep rocks.

Descending to these remote nests is carried out using single-rope techniques. During this procedure, field researchers attach GPS/GSM satellite transmitters and ring the juveniles, but they also collect morphometrics and biological samples from the breeding sites. The results of this work allow us to expand our knowledge on many important topics, i.e. the population status of the Bonelli’s Eagle and its reproductive success in Greece, the main causes of mortality among juveniles as well as the species’ dispersal and foraging areas in the country.

Sharia | Photo: Kostis Marmadzakos / University of Crete - Natural History Museum of Crete

None of these efforts would have been successful had it not been for the valuable assistance of our external collaborators who skillfully approach the sites where Bonelli’s Eagle nests lie hidden. Descending to these rugged crags is always technically highly demanding and involves a great deal of risk. At the same time, it is of vital importance that the team's communication is accurate and prompt at all times. Even during the planning phase, we face great technical difficulties and it is the availability and flexibility of our partners, as well as their willingness to contribute, that has led to the success of these missions!

For these and many more reasons, we would like to express our immense gratitude to the following amazing people (mentioned in alphabetical order): 

Gregory Anastasopoulos, Aris Georgopoulos, Yannis Gialis, Alexis Grapsas, Alexis Dalamangas, Markos Digenis, Thanasis Karageorgiou, Vangelis Kastanias, Kostas Kostikas, Spyros Kyriakou, Yannis Kostantakis, Kostas Kostidis, Stefanos Nikolaidis, Andreas Markos, Kostas Marmatzakos, Aris Mavromatis, Myrto Miliou, Hippocrates Palapanoglou, Panagiotis Papadakos, Savvas Paragamian, Marios Petropoulos, Stelios Poulakos, Christos Rigas, Andreas Sgouros, Apostolis Tatakis, Nikos Chatzis, Minas Chartofilakas, Emmanuel Aussedat and Miroslava Vildmanova.

A big THANK YOU to all and we hope we meet again! 

Karpathos | Photo: Aspasia Anagnostopoulou / University of Crete - Natural History Museum of Crete

Ikaria | Photo: Aspasia Anagnostopoulou / University of Crete - Natural History Museum of Crete

Mani | Photo: Nikos Tsiopelas / Hellenic ORNITHOLOGICAL Society

Anafi area | Photo: Savvas Paragamian / University of Crete - Natural History Museum of Crete

Anafi area | Photo: Savvas Paragamian / University of Crete - Natural History Museum of Crete

Crete | Photo: Aspasia Anagnostopoulou / University of Crete - Natural History Museum of Crete

Kasos | Photo: Aspasia Anagnostopoulou / University of Crete - Natural History Museum of Crete

Mani | Photo: Yannis Kostantakis / Hellenic ORNITHOLOGICAL Society