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Birds of Prey are Important for Conserving Nature
and Maintaining Environmental Health Impacts on nature will continue, even escalate, because of human needs for food, fiber, fuel, and minerals. To conserve our natural world we must find ways to manage environments so that natural biological processes and species, including humans, can be nourished. The Peregrine Fund is making a difference. Birds of Prey  As predators at the tops of food webs, birds of prey (raptors) are influenced by many factors and processes within nature. Like the caged canary used by miners to detect poisonous gases, birds of prey have proven sensitive to many forms of environmental change, including chemical pollution, and can provide an early warning for humans. This makes them excellent subjects to study for understanding ecological processes and environmental health. Eagles and other large raptors typically require large natural areas for survival. Measures that conserve birds of prey frequently provide an umbrella of protection for entire ecological communities. Increasingly, evidence suggests especially large predators, such as forest eagles, help maintain the balance of nature. Birds of prey are often felt to symbolize strength and courage and other important human values, but especially freedom and our natural environment and heritage. |
United States of America
Ph. 208-362-3716, Fax 208-362-2376
Interpretive Center 208-362-8687
E-mail: tpf@peregrinefund.org
Combined Federal Campaign #10639