To save Europe’s raptors, conservationists say, look to West Africa

A juvenile osprey ringed in Scotland as part of a reintroduction program was shot dead in Ghana in 2020, one of hundreds of raptors killed annually across West Africa despite protections back home.

Researchers Nico Arcilla and Irene Di Lecce examined 257 records of ringed Palearctic raptors found in Ghana, Togo, and Benin, mostly birds tagged in Finland and Sweden, to trace migratory connections and identify wintering sites worth protecting.

Experts note threats including hunting, belief-based trade, habitat loss from logging and charcoal production, and disturbances like mushroom collection, and argue that outreach after the Ghana shooting shows targeted local engagement can help.

A flyways summit in Nairobi this month aims to address gaps in monitoring and cross-continental cooperation.

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