by Peter Bridgeford
These observations were made by rangers working in various parts of Namibia. They have been lying in a file for many years and during a spring-cleaning while in quarantine because of the dreaded Covid, I found them again.
Verreaux’s Eagle diet in Namibia
Although the diet of Verreaux’s Eagle Aquila verreauxii has been well documented in Zimbabwe and South Africa (Gargett 1990), it appears that few records exist for Namibia. Most of the records by Hockey, Dean & Ryan (2005) are from the two countries mentioned above. Throughout its range, it is dependent on its principal prey, the rock hyrax, but also feeds on birds, reptiles and mammals (Steyn 1982).
In January 1990, in the Naukluft Mountains, an immature Verreaux’s Eagle was seen swooping onto a hare (Lepus sp.). The prey escaped the initial attack but was pounced on about 25m further. The eagle stood on the hare which could be heard squealing. Almost immediately, a black-backed jackal Canis mesomelas appeared and ran towards the eagle which backed off from its prey. The jackal grabbed the hare and disappeared with it (R & R Teifel pers. comm).
In another incident in the Naukluft Mountains, in 1996, two adult Verreaux’s Eagles were seen diving at a young kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros. The terrified calf fell over a high cliff onto the rocks below and was killed by the fall. The two eagles flew down and started feeding on the kudu. They were joined by an immature Verreaux’s Eagle. (Greg Meaker pers. comm). This contradicts Gargett’s (1990 p. 67) statement that there is “scant support for Roberts’ (1940) statement: Credited with knocking even large antelope over precipices”.
These eagles have also been seen feeding on Rüppell’s Korhaan Eupodotis rueppellii in the Hartmann Valley by Rod Braby and on NamibRand Nature Reserve by Mark Dürr.
Black-backed Jackal kills a Lappet-faced Vulture
In about 1995, at the Hotsas waterhole in the Namib-Naukluft Park, Ole Friede, a ranger at Ganab, was in the hide over-looking the water source. There was only a single Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotos near the water. A black- backed jackal Canis mesomelas was seen stalking the vulture. It moved up a shallow wash and, in this way, it got to about three metres from the unsuspecting vulture without being seen.
Then the jackal rushed at the vulture, and it appeared as if it got hold of a wing. They went round and round, with the flapping of wings, raising a lot of dust. Eventually the jackal got the better of the vulture and lay on it and killed it. It opened the stomach and chest and fed on the vulture. When it had had enough, it moved off (Ole Friede pers. comm).
Gargett, V. 1990. The Black Eagle. Acorn Books and Russel Friedman, Johannesburg.
Hockey, P.A.R., W.R.J. Dean & P.G. Ryan. 2005. Roberts birds of Southern Africa VIIth Ed. John Voelcker Bird Book Fund.
Steyn, P. 1982. Birds of prey of Southern Africa. David Philip, Cape Town.