PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The conservation programme for the Iberian imperial eagle in Castile and León was a six-year project from Sep1992-Jan 1999, funded in three phases. The three LIFE projects LIFE92 NAT/E/014302, LIFE94 NAT/E/001044 and LIFE95 NAT/E/001151 actually refer to three phases of the same project.
The starting point for the project in 1992 was that the imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti) was an endangered species included in Annex I of the Birds Directive. Spain contained the only remaining breeding population of the species, with 147 nesting pairs distributed across five autonomous regions: Castilla-La Mancha; Castile and León; Extremadura; Madrid; and Andalusia.
The eagle's preferred habitat is Mediterranean woodland of evergreen oaks, including cork oak (Quercus suber), alternating with pasture land where rabbits - one of the eagle’s main preys - are abundant. The main threats to eagle conservation were identified as: habitat destruction; a high pre-adult mortality caused by electrocution on electric power lines and poisoning; and a drop in rabbit populations, due to the high incidence of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease.
This LIFE project on the Iberian imperial eagle took place as part of an overall strategy with a coordinated set of actions across the five autonomous communities where the imperial eagle is found. The five regional governments agreed a Coordinated Recovery Plan to guide their work. This project should therefore be seen in conjunction with the concurrent projects in the regions of Andalusia (LIFE92 NAT/E/014300), Castilla-La-Mancha (LIFE92 NAT/E/014301), Extremadura (LIFE92 NAT/E/014303) and Madrid (LIFE92 NAT/E/014304).
OBJECTIVES
This project aimed to combat the main threats affecting the imperial eagle in Castile and León. As agreed in the Coordinated Recovery Plan for the five regions, the proposed measures focused on recovery and conservation of its habitat, reduction in mortality and an increase in rabbit populations.
The key interventions planned in Castile and León were:
management and recovery of feeding areas through restocking with wild rabbits, construction of breeding facilities (artificial burrows) and improvement of pasture land.
modification of supports and insulation of electric power lines - the primary cause of non-natural mortality for the target species
A key objective was to monitor the population, its distribution, mortality, nesting areas and breeding success in order to identify and subsequently avoid human disturbances and provide supplementary feeding to breeding pairs when necessary.
Finally, a set of awareness actions were planned particularly targeting those groups, such as landowners and hunters, whose actions could directly or indirectly harm the target species.
RESULTS
The project for conservation of the imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti) in Castile and León significantly increased understanding of the bird, its needs and the specific threats facing it. As part of a broader set of actions in the five affected regions of Spain, it marked an important step in the development of improved measures for the conservation of this species.
The project team carried out a very intensive monitoring of the population from the start of the breeding season in January until August, when the fledglings left their nests. Very accurate data on the breeding pairs were collected, increasing knowledge on the status of the species population in the Castile and León region remarkably.
The team identified all the threats existing within the territories used by the eagle. In particular, an inventory of dangerous power lines was undertaken. This enabled that, by the end of the project, five of the ten most threatening power lines had been modified. Adaptations were made to 144 pylons along four lines in Segovia and a 1.8 km of power lines were moved underground in Avila. The project also identified an increased use of poison during the project period, which caused several deaths.
A total of 90 artificial rabbit burrows were installed in six different areas, in which 1 450 wild rabbits were released. The project operated two feeding stations, specifically helping ten breeding pairs when they were struggling for adequate food. The project data showed that these measures increased the breeding success significantly. A particular effect was noted in pairs that produced up to three chicks and/or which were located in areas with lack of food availability.
Although the timeframe was too short to increase the number of breeding imperial eagle pairs from around 17-20, the increased breeding success meant more stable regional populations.
A relevant outcome of the project was that the most important areas for the imperial eagle - all nesting sites and some important feeding areas - were designated SPAs, increasing notably the SPA surface for this species. The implementation of the project also achieved improved coordination between the regions, contributing to the drafting of a National Strategy for the imperial eagle, a national Regulation to avoid bird mortality in power lines and a combined effort to tackle illegal use of poison.The project for conservation of the imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti) in Castile and León significantly increased understanding of the bird, its needs and the specific threats facing it. As part of a broader set of actions in the five affected regions of Spain, it marked an important step in the development of improved measures for the conservation of this species.
The project team carried out a very intensive monitoring of the population from the start of the breeding season in January until August, when the fledglings left their nests. Very accurate data on the breeding pairs were collected, increasing knowledge on the status of the species population in the Castile and León region remarkably.
The team identified all the threats existing within the territories used by the eagle. In particular, an inventory of dangerous power lines was undertaken. This enabled that, by the end of the project, five of the ten most threatening power lines had been modified. Adaptations were made to 144 pylons along four lines in Segovia and a 1.8 km of power lines were moved underground in Avila. The project also identified an increased use of poison during the project period, which caused several deaths.
A total of 90 artificial rabbit burrows were installed in six different areas, in which 1 450 wild rabbits were released. The project operated two feeding stations, specifically helping ten breeding pairs when they were struggling for adequate food. The project data showed that these measures increased the breeding success significantly. A particular effect was noted in pairs that produced up to three chicks and/or which were located in areas with lack of food availability.
Although the timeframe was too short to increase the number of breeding imperial eagle pairs from around 17-20, the increased breeding success meant more stable regional populations.
A relevant outcome of the project was that the most important areas for the imperial eagle - all nesting sites and some important feeding areas - were designated SPAs, increasing notably the SPA surface for this species. The implementation of the project also achieved improved coordination between the regions, contributing to the drafting of a National Strategy for the imperial eagle, a national Regulation to avoid bird mortality in power lines and a combined effort to tackle illegal use of poison.