Aggression training starts between adults and their offspring

While the Black Eagle Project Roodekrans (BERP) continues to monitor the Black Eagles at the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden (WSNBG), young Motsumi seems to be doing very well and flying confidently.

According to BEPR, it seems that the training in eagle aggression has started with the parents Makatsa and Mahlori making some aggressive gestures toward the juvenile.

“November is usually the month for aggression between the adults and their offspring, so everything seems to be right on track.

“I can confidently confirm that the aggression stage has begun between the parents and their juvenile. It usually only begins mid-November and lasts for about four weeks, but we remain hopeful that the juvenile will stick around till mid-December or later.

“In the last few years juveniles have left the nesting area around mid-December, and we are curious to see how things will unfold with Motsumi,” said photographer Shane Wilken.

Although the behaviour in the sky seemed to be very aggressive, with all the monitoring done over the years, not once have the parents been seen physically hurting the youngster.

This is merely a way of preparing the young Verreaux’s eagle for survival once he leaves his nesting area.

After the weekend’s heavy rains, Motsumi engaged in another interesting behaviour when he was photographed for the first time drinking from and bathing in the little puddles on the rocks.

Black Eagles have been breeding in the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden since the 1940s, and since the official formation of the Black Eagle Project in 1992, two adult birds have been replaced.

Quatele disappeared in 1998 and he was replaced by Thulane, and Emonyeni who disappeared in 2016 was replaced by Makatsa.

Thulani also disappeared and he was replaced by Mahlori who is currently part of the nesting pair parenting the juvenile Motsumi.

BERP will continue to monitor the situation and communicate as and when any developments unfold.