health
February 18, 2026
No trees, no food, shot for fun … yet Serbia’s imperial eagles are making an improbable return
Less than a decade ago, the Balkan country had just one breeding pair of the eastern imperial species of raptor left. Now things are changing, thanks to the dogged work of conservationists
TL;DR
- Serbia's eastern imperial eagle population has increased from one breeding pair in 2017 to 19 pairs, with 10 successfully raising young last year.
- Declines were caused by deforestation for agriculture, historical persecution, widespread poisoning campaigns targeting predators, and loss of food sources like ground squirrels.
- A recovery began with young eagles dispersing from a thriving population in Hungary, arriving in Serbia around 2011.
- Conservation efforts include nest guarding, rehabilitation, and community outreach, leveraging the eagle's presence on Serbia's coat of arms to foster local pride and protection.
- Challenges persist, including a lack of suitable nesting trees, slow adaptation to artificial platforms, ongoing wildlife poisoning, and risks from power lines and wind farms.
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