How Many Years Does An Eagle Live?
Eagle age
The average age of vultures in the wild is 20-22 years, and can reach a maximum age of 45 years. This number has been recorded for vultures living in captivity.
Examples of large-lived vultures
There are many eagles that have lived to more than their average lifespan, including the following:
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Eagle Nero
The eagle Nero is one of the oldest living eagles recorded in the world and has been living in captivity since 1974 AD, when it is 45 years old and it is an eagle belonging to the turkey vultures , and it was raised by scientists trying the best ways to save the endangered condor vultures in California .
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Egyptian eagle
The Egyptian vulture lives in the wild on the Pyrenees Mountains, and has reached the age of 30 years.
The Eagle Conservation Foundation (VCF) provides vultures with a GPS device before they are released into the wild, in order to monitor them, especially in areas that threaten their lives.
It also monitors its behavior, methods of reproduction, and food in order to reach measures that help reduce threats to its life, provide the necessary measures to protect it, increase its numbers, and provide safe food resources to address the shortage in areas where it is difficult for vultures to find food.
The reasons for the decline in the numbers of eagles and their death at a short age
The reason for the short average life of eagles is due to the presence of many risks that threaten their life, including the following:
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poisoning
Poisoning is one of the biggest threats to vultures. Where they feed on corpses filled with toxins or lead, the death rate of vultures resulting from poisoning has reached approximately 60% of the total death rate recorded since the seventies.
Read also: Types Of Ornamental Birds
The carcasses are placed by poachers after they have been poisoned to get rid of predators such as lions that prey on livestock, but these carcasses are usually eaten by vultures rather than the predators.
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Car collision
Vultures are at risk of car accidents because they feed on carcasses left over from accidents.
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Turbine collision
The surge in wind farm construction in Africa has caused large numbers of vultures to crash into turbines.
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Migration of eagles from their habitat
Rapid urban growth in parts of Africa has caused vultures to migrate from their habitats.
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Electrocution
Eagles get electrocuted when they hit electric lines.
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Illegal hunting
Vultures are being hunted by poachers in order to sell their body parts for use in magic, as they believe that the powerful eyesight of vultures can see the future.
Vultures live in the wild from 20-22 years, and their lifespan in captivity can reach more than 30 years, and an example of them is the eagle Nero, which belongs to the Roman vultures and has reached the age of 45 years, and vultures are exposed to many threats that threaten their lives and cause their early death, including Poisoning, illegal hunting, electrocution and collision with turbines
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