GREFA continues its work on the re introduction of endangered and now extinct (in Spain anyway) birds to Spain. The history of the persecution of this eagle species is horrifying to say the least…..
The first two years of the project have been conceived as an experimental phase in which new reintroduction techniques based on GREFA’s long experience in the recovery of large birds of prey will be tested. After this phase, an assessment will be made of the results obtained in relation to the adaptation and integration of the birds released into the ecosystem.
Oh that is great news…. I remember a few years ago some huge excitement in the birding world because of a white tailed eagle photographed by a camera trap in the Monte Perdido area…
And looking at some groups and conversations on some social networks, the polemics have already started…. People saying that this is a rewilding and not a re introduction project etc etc… No proof that the species bred on the Iberian peninsular and more…..
It makes sense to me that they were present in the north of Spain or at the very least used this area as wintering grounds…
The article from Extremadura birding is quite useful for some history of this species in Spain.
Here is a PDF of a very concise article that pretty much says that white tailed eagles were never in the Iberian Peninsular as a breeding species…. Thus the project is a rewilding one and not a re introduction…
However, I kind of agree with Dave in that if this eagle had not been persecuted, poisoned and destroyed across the entirety of its range then undoubtedly it would have occupied suitable habitat at some point in the Iberian peninsular expanding its range as all species do…..
Well, GREFA has gone ahead and released the eagles into Asturias last October. They have a press release on their website with a questions and answers area….
They strongly argue the case that this eagle is extinct in Spain and historically was present in certain areas.
¿Hubo pigargos en España en el pasado?
Sin duda. La incorporación del pigargo europeo al “Listado de especies extinguidas en todo el medio natural español” se justificó en su momento por parte del MITECO, previo dictamen positivo de un comité científico asesor, en base a la abundante documentación científica sobre restos fósiles, así como numerosas citas bibliográficas sobre ejemplares cazados u observados en los siglos XIX y XX. Es cierto que hay referencias escritas sobre la presencia histórica del pigargo en España que han sido puestas en duda por algunos trabajos, pero las conclusiones de estos estudios convendría analizarlas detalladamente antes de concluir que todas las alusiones al pigargo corresponderían a águilas pescadoras o en relación a la generalización de la ausencia de la especie en nuestro país.
The GREFA website has an update about the (re)introduction. Of the 7 birds released in Asturias, 6 have stayed in the area whilst one female has travelled around 3000 km roaming west across the Sierra de Culebra to Portugal then back again to the release area then north up to the Catalan Pyrenees
One of the birds released, a female named Deva has been found dead after moving north into France and colliding with electric lines…. GREFA puts the blame firmly on the Electricity network for failing to protect birdlife by adding coloured warning balls or other methods to power lines…
DEVA HA SIDO HALLADA MUERTA BAJO EL APOYO DE UNA LINEA ELÉCTRICA EN FRANCIA.
Poco después de la publicación del último post de ayer, donde contábamos el viaje dispersivo de Deva, el acelerómetro de su GPS nos indicaba que el ave se encontraba dada la vuelta y las localizaciones la situaban parada a los pies de un apoyo de un tendido eléctrico en una zona agrícola en Francia.
Deva, hembra de pigargo europeo liberada el 4 de octubre en Pimiango (Asturias), encontraba el final de su viaje dispersivo tras recorrer más de 1600 kilómetros.
Desde GREFA trabajamos intensamente en el seguimiento y corrección de tendidos eléctricos, y está medida fue una de las primeras en implementarse en el área del Proyecto Pigargo , pero aún queda mucho trabajo por desarrollar.
Lamentamos profundamente la perdida de esta joven y bellísima
White tailed sea eagle DEVA Dead after impact with power cables (Foto: Benjamin Même-Lafond from GREFA facebook page)
This project continues it seems…. 17 in a hacking environment soon to join the 5 surviving already released birds… Didn’t they release 7 and one died in France? Don’t know what happened to the other one…..
Hi Miguel, I saw on the same website that the other bird that died drowned in a water tank….. A shame and unnecessary as the tanks should have been capped!
12 de septiembre de 2022, Ribadedeva (Asturias) / Hoy se ha dado un nuevo paso hacia el objetivo de crear una población reproductora en España de pigargo, todo un emblema de la biodiversidad europea, tras la liberación esta mañana en Pimiango (Asturias) de 17 ejemplares jóvenes de esta especie (diez machos y siete hembras), que se unen a los cinco que ya vuelan libres desde hace casi un año.
The you tube video shows the 17 birds before they were released into the wild
Controversy has ignited (yet again) over the reintroduction of white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) in the Asturias region, with conflicting views on their impact.
A recent incident involving an encounter between a bearded vulture and a released “pigargo”, shared by the Coordinadora Ecoloxista d’Asturies (who are in total opposition to this project) has now sparked further debate with some demanding the prompt capture of the released eagles to prevent any further detrimental interactions. While some viewed it as evidence of potential issues, GREFA (the project coordinators) has maintained that such encounters were a natural part of the ecosystem.