Threatened species of Eutriorchis astur

Eutriorchis astur numbers must be very low and are certainly declining with extensive habitat clearance and disturbance, and probable human persecution.

Eutriorchis astur is a very rare inhabitant of undisturbed primary rainforest in eastern Madagascar where, apart from unconfirmed reports of its presence in Marojejy Reserve in the 1960s and 1970s and despite considerable search-effort within its habitat, it was not recorded between 1930 and 1988. Although it may yet be found in any large surviving areas of low to mid-altitude rainforest. It appears to be a low-density, subcanopy-dwelling denizen of lowland forest.

Two recent records in reserves at Marojejy, September 1988, and Ambatovaky, February 1990, and two more from the Masoala peninsula (in an area targeted as a major new national park), during 1993--1994, confirm its survival, and local reports from the Maroantsetra region indicate the existence there of a raptor fitting its description. However Eutriorchis astur is likely to experience at least a 25% decline with severe fragmentation, within the next three generations.

The Madagascar Serpent-Eagle is listed as "Critically Endangered" by the IUCN. CITES lists the species as "Appendix 2".