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Steller's Sea Eagle Reseach In Russia |
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Problem/Background At present, the world’s population of Steller’s sea eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla, SSE) appears to be stable and not endangered; however, this species is listed as a Bird to Watch. Its breeding range is located within remote, restricted areas in Russia – areas where access can be achieved only by air or sea. Indeed, it is likely that the very remoteness of these areas has protected the Steller’s sea eagle from large-scale human interference, and in-depth scientific scrutiny.
Approach/Objectives The use of satellite
tracking is particularly appropriate for studying this species, given
the remote areas in which it lives. CCRT has been studying the migration
and wintering behavior of Steller’s sea eagles, as well as their
distribution and breeding dynamics. Map
of Steller's Sea Eagle Movements in Far Eastern Russia |
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The Steller’s
sea eagle is the largest of all the sea eagles, weighing between 5 and
9 kg with a wingspan of 2.2-2.45 m. It breeds along the seacoasts and
rivers of northeastern Siberia and in northern Korea. Part of the population
over-winters in the breeding range, concentrating around rivers and parts
of the sea that remain ice-free. Other groups move south to Japan, Korea,
and along the coast of the Russian mainland. Steller’s sea eagles
feed primarily upon fish (e.g., salmon), although they will also take
medium-large birds (seabirds, capercaillie, ptarmigan, and geese), mammals
(hares, fox, seals), invertebrates (crabs and mollusks), and carrion.
The
Steller’s sea eagle enjoys legal protection in some of the areas
in which it is found. Within Russia, it is a Red Data Book species; in
theory it has complete protection there, though enforcement of this sort
of protection is virtually impossible. In Japan, the species is designated
a National Monument and is given complete protection. In China and Korea,
no legislation is known to protect these birds as breeders, migrants,
or over-wintering birds; politics and the need for increased foreign investment
have opened up isolated areas for increased human exploitation. As a result,
the areas in which this eagle lives and breeds may not remain relatively
pristine. It is also inevitable that development will come to far-eastern
Russia; because few roads exist there, it is most likely that development
will establish itself first along the sea and rivers, the very places
where these great sea eagles breed.