African savanna raptors show evidence of widespread population collapse and a growing dependence on protected areas.

ABSTRACT: The conversion of natural habitats to farmland is a major cause of biodiversity loss and poses the greatest extinction risk to birds worldwide. Tropical raptors are of particular concern, being relatively slow-breeding apex predators and scavengers, whose disappearance can trigger extensive cascading effects. Many of Africa's raptors are at considerable risk from habitat conversion, prey-base depletion and persecution, driven principally by human population expansion. Here we describe multiregional trends among 42 African raptor species, 88% of which have declined over a ca. 20-40-yr period, with 69% exceeding the International Union for Conservation of Nature criteria classifying species at risk of extinction. Large raptors had experienced significantly steeper declines than smaller speci

SUBMITTER: Shaw P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10781635 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature