Verreaux's eagles (Aquila verreauxi) as potential predators of Hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas hamadryas) in Eritrea

In this paper we describe for the first time encounters of Verreaux's eagle (Aquila verreauxi) with hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas hamadryas) in t he central highlands of Eritrea (15 degrees 22' N, 38 degrees 58' E, 2300 m ). During 12 h of observation on 4 days, we observed four encounters of Ver reaux's eagles with baboons, of which three can be classified as possible a ttacks. The baboons always responded with alarm calls. In three cases some immatures rushed to adult group members and clung to them, particularly to the adult male. Adult males threatened the eagle, and the whole group did n ot flee. The response of baboons towards smaller raptors like tawny eagles (Aquila rapax) and black kites (Milvus migrans) was very different. The adu lt baboons gave no alarm barks but scanned the raptors. The permanent prese nce of a pair of Verreaux's eagles in the home range of the baboons may rep resent a considerable predation pressure, at least for immature baboons. (C ) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.