Everton Miranda is a fighter. But the former world-class mixed martial artist and jiu-jitsu practitioner has changed his focus from the ring to advocate for the conservation of a threatened eagle. Soaring at the top of the food chain, harpy eagles are the apex predator of the Brazilian skies. As one of the largest birds of prey, they have all the makings of invincibility. But their species is under threat due to deforestation and persecution from locals for their predation on small livestock. “Instead of fighting each other, it’s time we fought for our natural world,” Miranda says.
As a conservation biologist, Miranda uses his research to champion the rights of harpy eagles. A leader in the cause of these raptors, he’s developed an ecotourism programme that benefits the landowners who protect them. With his initiative, he works with locals to protect eagle nests and build viewing towers for tourists to admire the chicks. This elevates ecotourism in the region, furthering the conservation of these birds while incentivising landowners to promote their safety through a sustainable income. “Working with local communities enabled me to protect harpy eagles because I integrated harpy eagles into the economy,” Miranda says.
He has realised that heroism does not come from combatting one another, but from collaboration. It takes more than one person to make a tangible change and Miranda has seen this first hand in the rainforests of Brazil. By creating interest in the birds he cares so deeply for, he has encouraged the conservation of the species. “When everyone is being benefitted, things work well,” Miranda says.
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