Rediscovery of the Harpy Eagle Harpia harpyja (Accipitriformes: Accipitridae) for Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil

Abstract

This paper describes three records evidencing the presence of Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) in Turvo State Park, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Besides an historical record showing a picture of a young Harpy Eagle shot in the 1970’s in the surroundings of Turvo State Park, we also describe two recent records made inside the park. One of them was visual, made at the Yucumã Waterfalls in 2011 by the Argentinean park ranger V. Matuchaka. The other one, documented by a picture, was made by D.A.M. in March 2015 next to a remote valley of the park. These records proof the Harpy Eagle still occurs in Rio Grande do Sul state and highlights the project of Panambi’s Hydroelectric should be redesigned to minimize impacts on the area of Turvo State Park.