Native Sea Eagles Thriving Thanks to Strict Protection
"The local population continues to grow. In the coming years, it could even break the 100 mark," hopes the species protection expert of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Christian Pichler. The success is due to the strict Europe-wide protection of the animals.
WWF Calls for Restoration for Further Protection of White-Tailed Eagles
The research and protection program of WWF Austria is an important part, in which white-tailed eagles are regularly equipped with transmitters. "The transmitters provide important insights into flight routes or mating behavior. They have shown, for example, that white-tailed eagles often stay in Natura 2000 protected areas, or that white-tailed eagles hatched in Austria now breed in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, among other places," said Pichler. The WWF called for further protection of the birds of prey through an ambitious implementation of the EU restoration regulation. The law should both upgrade existing protected areas and improve areas outside of them, making them more attractive for wildlife.
White-Tailed Eagles Back in Austria Since 2001 Thanks to Protection Measures
The white-tailed eagle was considered extinct in Austria since the mid-1950s. Habitat loss, pesticides and direct persecution caused the largest eagle in Europe to disappear in many regions, according to the WWF. "Thanks to strict protection regulations and extensive species protection measures, the white-tailed eagle was able to recolonize many former habitats on its own from 2001 onwards," said the conservationists. "Our monitoring shows that the white-tailed eagle prefers undisturbed natural landscapes. These are, for example, the floodplain landscapes of large rivers like the Danube, March and Thaya, the Neusiedler See area, or the ponds and rivers of Southern Burgenland, Eastern and Southern Styria," explained Pichler. The Waldviertel region in particular has proven to be a special hotspot for white-tailed eagle pairs. "According to the latest findings, around 50 percent of the Austrian breeding stock is at home in the Waldviertel. Altitudes above 900 meters above sea level are also populated. Thus, the Waldviertel occurrences are among the highest in Europe," explained ornithologist Benjamin Watzl, who is researching the white-tailed eagle population in the Waldviertel together with Richard Katzinger.
Still Threats to White-Tailed Eagles
Despite the pleasing increase in population, the white-tailed eagle is still exposed to great threats, the WWF warned. Disturbances caused by forestry work, illegal poisonings and shootings, as well as collisions with wind turbines have particularly negative effects. Together with various partners, WWF Austria is therefore working on the preservation of habitats and the fight against wildlife crime, according to its own statements.
(APA/Red)
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