Iberian imperial eagle Félix released in Badajoz

The wildlife organization AMUS has launched the ‘PLANETA I: IRREPETIBLE’ campaign to highlight the impact of extreme heat on fauna. The initiative began with the release of an Iberian imperial eagle, named Félix, into the Matachel Valley in Badajoz.

Félix was rescued after falling from his nest due to thermal stress, a phenomenon where excessive heat causes chicks to abandon their nests prematurely. The eagle underwent a two-month recovery at the AMUS wildlife hospital, where adult eagles that cannot be reintroduced to the wild act as foster parents to teach essential species behaviors.

Naturalist Odile Rodríguez de la Fuente participated in the release, naming the eagle in honor of her father, the renowned naturalist Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente. The eagle has been fitted with a GPS transmitter to allow AMUS to monitor its adaptation and movement. According to AMUS, seven Iberian imperial eagle chicks have been rescued this year due to heat-related issues.