YOU HAVE SOME NEW NEIGHBORS!! GET TO KNOW THEM AND PROTECT THEM.
The Peregrine Fund is monitoring individual Ridgway’s Hawks in Cap Cana as part of their conservation program for this species.
The Ridgway’s Hawk (Buteo ridgwayi) is a medium-sized bird of prey that is endemic to the island of Hispaniola. Once found throughout Haiti and Dominican Republic, today, the only known remnant population is in Los Haitises National Park in Dominican Republic. Sadly, it is one of the most critically endangered birds of prey in the world, with a population estimated to be between 300-400 remaining individuals.
Thanks to conservation efforts by The Peregrine Fund (TPF) and many local organizations, the Ridgway’s Hawk is slowly making a comeback. As part of TPF’s work to create additional populations of Ridgway’s Hawks in protected areas in the country, the organization began to release Ridgway’s Hawks in Punta Cana, through a partnership with the Puntacana Ecological Foundation. Several of these hawk shave moved on to the Cap Cana property and currently there are two pairs in the area, one which successfully raised two healthy chicks this year!
Like other birds of prey, the Ridgway’s Hawk feed son a number of different animals such as lizards, toads, bats and others mall animals. It also preys on rats, which helps to control the rodent population in your neighborhood.
Even though this species is beneficial to humans, and is protected under Dominican law, many people continue to persecute this beautiful raptor. It needs your help! Please help spread the word about the importance of this species and why everyone should help protect it.
For more information, or to let us know you have seen a hawk, please contact The Peregrine Fund Dominican Republic at Tel: 829-637-3215/ Whatsapp: 809-720-6035