PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The EU breeding population of the imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca) is small (possibly as low as 230 pairs). Its numbers dropped drastically from 1970 to 1990 and are probably still declining. The main threats to the species are destruction and alteration of breeding and feeding habitats, shortages of prey species (particularly the souslik), electrocution and collision with power lines, shooting, poisoning, nest robbing and human disturbance at breeding sites. The only region where the imperial eagle population has increased significantly in the recent years is the Carpathian basin, notably in Hungary and Slovakia. This increase has largely been due to the implementation of intensive conservation measures carried out by several LIFE projects.
In Bulgaria the imperial eagle nests are often situated in groups of trees within river valleys in hilly areas. The adults are mainly sedentary, while juveniles disperse to as far away as Turkey, Syria and Sudan. Recent satellite telemetry data from Bulgaria prove that after the first winter most of them return to the country, occupying temporary settlement areas. Conservation measures in such areas are as important as those implemented in the breeding territories.
OBJECTIVES
The LAND for LIFE project aimed to focus on all SPAs that are crucial for the imperial eagle in Bulgaria where 19 out of the totally 26 known breeding pairs are located. Its objectives were to:
- Develop and test models for restoration and sustainable management of open-grassland habitats to ensure long-term preservation of the imperial eagle involving key stakeholders to ensure building ownership on project results;
- Restore and enhance the feeding habitats of the imperial eagle by implementing urgent measures to stabilise and increase the micro-populations of its main prey – small birds, reptiles and mammals, including the globally threatened souslik, and strengthening the national legal framework to secure its long-term protection;
- Mitigate the effects of loss of nesting substrate by providing artificial nesting platforms;
- Strengthen the strategic planning framework of the national and EU agri-environmental policy to minimise the detrimental effect of land-use changes in the project area; and
- Build up community pride in and support for the conservation of the imperial eagle, and the Natura 2000 sites where more than 80% of its populations is concentrated.
RESULTS
The LAND for LIFE project carried out a range of measures to improve habitats for the imperial eagle in Bulgaria, including the following quantitative actions:
- 594 ha of degraded pastures acquired and 297 ha of tilled pastures and 1,526 ha of overgrown pastures restored;
- More than 1 558 ha of pastures managed for conservation purposes;
- Eight model herds, totaling 100 horses, 1 013 sheep, 389 goats and 603 cattle, established;
- Seven information workshops held, attracting over 100 farmers;
- 16 public officials trained;
- 31 tree patches created to secure foraging;
- 2,100 tree saplings planted to create nesting habitats (900 oak trees and 1 200 poplar trees); and
- 40 artificial nests platforms installed, 6 of them are already occupied by the eagles.
Additionally, the project carried out a feasibility study on the reintroduction of European souslik, an important species of prey, before establishing a population of the ground squirrel. The project therefore helped improve our understanding of the imperial eagle’s diet. The project also implemented a pilot resettling of European Sousliks following the most modern methods of translocation of this mammal species – by resettling of 213 European Sousliks, the last remaining colony of the species in Natura 2000 site „Zapadna Strandzha“ (which numbered only about 20 individuals and 36 holes) was saved from extinction.
The team also helped draw up a strategic national and EU planning framework to minimise the detrimental effect of land use, along with recommendations on grazing and for enhancing RDP payment schemes, and an action plan for the European souslik.
Six scientific articles were published with results of the project.
In 2021 the number of breeding imperial eagle’s pairs has reached 41, which is the highest number recorded in the last 50 years.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report (see "Read more" section).
