Harpy eagles are the largest raptor in the Americas and depend on intact large-tract forest that is being lost at an accelerating rate.
Harpy eagles in fragmented forest cannot sustain themselves without large intact prey communities. Deforestation that eliminates prey populations forces eagles into smaller areas where they cannot meet energy requirements. Slow reproduction means that population losses are difficult to recover. Individual eagles experiencing habitat contraction face reduced prey availability, chronic energy stress, and increased conflict with humans.