L'aigle royal Aquila chrysaetos au sud du sahara

Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in South Sahara. Isolated breeding populations of Golden Eagle were studied in south Saharan mountains of Mali and Niger (from 2000 to 2006). Laying started during the dry season (mean laying date: 11 November; n = 11). The mean nearest neighbour distance was 14.8 km (n = 5). Out of 22 territory-years, 11 successfull breeding attempts gave 1 Hedgling in 6 cases and 2 in the other 5 cases. Such a high breeding success was related to the abundance of hares (Lepus sp.) in the diet (79% of prey items; n = 52). Status of the Golden Eagle, a rare palearctic species in a sahelian and afrotropical fauna, contrasts with the decline of other rapfor species in the Sahel, but the future of the species remains uncertain because of its isolation and human persecution.