Black Eagle Project Roodekrans Verreaux’s (Black) Eagle aggression towards their offspring
During the weekend of 25/26 October 2014, the adult Verreaux’s eagle pair have commenced with early aggression towards Jono and the main perpetrator appears to be Thulane, with Emonyeni still refraining from this activity probably guided by her maternal instincts. By nature, these species are naturally aggressive and territorial disallowing any similar species within their immediate and or greater home range.
This early aggression aimed at their offspring is yet too early as he has only been 7 weeks off the nest. Usually, such behaviour is only evident in the region of 10-11 weeks and there is no precise reasoning as to why the juvenile is being harassed this early as there is ample prey and the adults have provided adequately.
This process cannot be reversed in any way because as soon as the onslaught commences, Jono will have to learn to defend himself from Thulane and ultimately Emonyeni. The flight path ahead for Jono will be an uncertain journey and no matter how much resistance he will present now, the more intense will the onslaughts become. A gradual process that can last 3-4 weeks, the following weeks are going to be extremely difficult for Jono as he understands little of the adults’ behaviour towards him and why the incessant harassment. This lesson however, will be of great value to Jono later in his life when he has a mate and offspring of their own and only then will he come to understand what is happening to him now will have a repetitive bearing later in their lives.
Not easy at all as in his first year away from his natal home range, he only has a survival chance of a lowly 20-30%, which is rather poor for such a large species. Starvation is by far the biggest obstacle that he has to overcome…taking into consideration that he has never hunted for himself…the adults also don’t teach him how to hunt, it is pure instinct that triggers his brain that he must eat in order to survive…
Bo van der Lecq