Special Issue UNINASSAU, ID manuscript: es2025nassau01, 2025

Doi: https://doi.org/10.32435/es2025nassau01

Environmental Smoke, e-ISSN: 2595-5527

Interdisciplinarity expanding the paths to social well-being

(A interdisciplinaridade ampliando os caminhos do bem-estar social)

Abstract:

MUTUALISTIC RELATIONSHIPS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE BRAZILIAN HARPY EAGLE Harpia harpyja (LINNAEUS, 1758)

Gil Dutra Furtado¹* (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5611-4814); Cristhopher Augusto de Oliveira Lima¹ (https://orcid.org/0009-0006-7442-8722)

¹Maurício de Nassau University Center (UNINASSAU-PB), Av. Pres. Epitácio Pessoa, 1213, 58039-000 João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brasil.

*Corresponding author: gdfurtado@hotmail.com

Submitted on: 19 Oct. 2025

Accepted on: 25 Oct. 2025

Published on: 27 Oct. 2025

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In nature, mutualistic interactions are a reality that some authors have documented, occurring directly or indirectly among a large number of species (TOWNSEND; BEGON; HARPER, 2009). The harpy eagle, a bird of prey also known as the Brazilian harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja), is the largest eagle in the Americas, found in tropical forests of Central and South America and dependent on these environments for its survival (FONSECA, 2023). In Brazil, the harpy eagle is primarily recorded in the Amazon and Atlantic Forest, with rare records in other regions, such as central Brazil. Hunting and forest fragmentation threaten its existence, leading to this species being classified as endangered and classified as Vulnerable throughout its range (FONSECA, 2023). The breeding success of Accipitriformes depends on several factors, especially those found in captivity. Some of these factors are identified as temperature, food, and nesting material, and probably mutualistic interactions (GALETTI; CARVALHO, 2000; ALBUQUERQUE, 1995; BANHOS, 2009). Researchers observed an adult specimen that had traveled from Germany and recovered from respiratory difficulties in the presence of native bees, which sparked the issue of interactions between harpy eagles and bees (LOBATO et al., 2007). The mutualism observed was between harpy eagles and native bees Paratrigona lineata (Lepeletier, 1836) (Apidae: Meliponinae). Interactions like this have been reported in other birds, which is the focus of this literature review, which was based on research from scientific journals. Knowledge about the potential benefits that interactions with stingless bees can bring to birds is practically nonexistent, making it urgent to analyze these interactions between harpy eagles and native bees. The results will contribute to the development of management strategies for species conservation.

Keywords: Accipitriformes. Native bee. Reproduction.

CREDIT AUTHORSHIP CONTRIBUTION STATEMENT

GDF conceived the article; CAOL wrote the article; CAOL and GDF made corrections.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

FUNDING SOURCE

The authors declare that there is no funding applicable to this research.

REFERENCES

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