PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Spanish imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti) is an endangered species included in Annex I of the Birds Directive. Spain contains the only breeding population of imperial eagle. It is distributed throughout five autonomous regions: Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León, Extremadura, Madrid and Andalucía. The eagle's preferred habitat is Mediterranean woodland of evergreen oak and cork oak alternating with pasture land where rabbits are abundant. The main threats to eagle conservation are habitat destruction, a high pre-adult mortality caused by electrocution on electric power lines and poisoning, and the decline in rabbit populations, one of its main preys, due to the high incidence of rabbit haemorrhagic disease in recent years.
The project was financed by installments, and for this reason it can be found under different 'submission years'. This project is part of a multi-beneficiaries project run in parallel in the five regions with a co-ordinated set of actions. This is the one covering Castilla La Mancha.
OBJECTIVES
The project aimed to combat the main threats affecting the imperial eagle through recovery and conservation of its habitat, an increase in rabbit populations and a reduction in mortality.
The proposed measures are included in the Coordinated Recovery Plan agreed by the five regional governments participating in the project. Actions involved the acquisition of land in critical habitats, management and recovery of feeding areas through restocking with wild rabbits, construction of breeding facilities (artificial burrows) and improvement of pasture land. The modification of supports and insulation of electric power lines was one of the most urgent measures as the main cause of non-natural mortality in recent years has been electrocution. Monitoring of the population and surveillance of breeding would be carried out throughout all the distribution area in order to avoid human disturbances and provide supplementary feeding to the breeding pairs when necessary. Finally, a set of awareness actions would be carried out.
RESULTS
The project has quite satisfactorily fulfilled the proposed objectives and achieved some important results.
The modification of dangerous power lines (4.726 towers in 192 lines), made on the basis of a detailed inventory carried out at the beginning of the project, has greatly reduced the risk of electrocution, which was the highest cause of non-natural mortality for the species. This measure has been effective in all the regions where it was undertaken. A new decree regulating the installation of new electricity lines to reduce this threat was passed in this region before the end of the project (February 1999). A national decree with the same purpose was also adopted. A special group was set up in the framework of the National Commission for Nature Conservation.
The monitoring and surveillance of nesting areas helped reduce disturbance and threats to the breeding pairs, and allowed researchers to follow-up trends in the population. The imperial eagle population in Castilla-La Mancha remained stable, with a slight increase during the project (from 30 to 35 pairs). Moreover, the productivity was quite satisfactory: 1.5 to 1.7 chicks per breeding pair.
Surveillance and close monitoring of breeding pairs also allowed the project team to intervene when problems were detected. For instance, when feeding resources were very scarce, supplementary feeding proved to be very effective. This measure helped 4-5 pairs in the last years of the project and chick mortality Was reduced as a result
However, a new increasing threat, the use of poison to control predators in hunting grounds, is causing trouble for the species in all its distribution range. The main negative effects detected were the disappearance of nesting pairs and the substitution of some adults by juvenile individuals in the reproductive pairs, which can affect their productivity. The beneficiary is currently involved in a national programme to combat the use of poison.
The radio-tracking programme increased significantly knowledge of the dispersal of the species, non-natural mortality causes and the existence or preferred feeding areas. Fourteen juvenile individuals were monitored in the last three years of the project. This type of action was also carried out in other regions, which provides a good scientific basis for the implementation of conservation measures. For instance, through this radio-tracking programme in Castilla-La Mancha a very important dispersal area has been identified (Campo de Montiel) where more than 60% of the juveniles from central Spain congregate during part of their dispersal phase.
Measures aimed at the recovery of rabbits, the main prey of this eagle, represented an important part of the project. The number of artificial burrows constructed (around 180), and the surface of grounds where the habitat was improved (162 ha), are testimony to scale of the efforts made. Actions to control foxes and feral dogs were also undertaken.
Moreover, a recovery plan for the species was drawn up. The Natura 2000 area for the imperial eagle considerably increased thanks to the project, with three new SPAs (with a total surface of 218,764 ha.) proposed. At the time of the receipt of the final report at the Commission, 82% of the reproductive pairs were included in SPAs. The project also managed to purchase an estate of 772 ha in Sierra Madrona. The land is located in a very important area not only for the imperial eagle but also for other priority species as the lynx and the wolf.
Finally, a series of awareness raising activities were carried out: production of leaflets and posters, and the holding of exhibition and several talks in the main villages located in imperial eagle breeding areas.The project has quite satisfactorily fulfilled the proposed objectives and achieved some important results.
The modification of dangerous power lines (4.726 towers in 192 lines), made on the basis of a detailed inventory carried out at the beginning of the project, has greatly reduced the risk of electrocution, which was the highest cause of non-natural mortality for the species. This measure has been effective in all the regions where it was undertaken. A new decree regulating the installation of new electricity lines to reduce this threat was passed in this region before the end of the project (February 1999). A national decree with the same purpose was also adopted. A special group was set up in the framework of the National Commission for Nature Conservation.
The monitoring and surveillance of nesting areas helped reduce disturbance and threats to the breeding pairs, and allowed researchers to follow-up trends in the population. The imperial eagle population in Castilla-La Mancha remained stable, with a slight increase during the project (from 30 to 35 pairs). Moreover, the productivity was quite satisfactory: 1.5 to 1.7 chicks per breeding pair.
Surveillance and close monitoring of breeding pairs also allowed the project team to intervene when problems were detected. For instance, when feeding resources were very scarce, supplementary feeding proved to be very effective. This measure helped 4-5 pairs in the last years of the project and chick mortality Was reduced as a result
However, a new increasing threat, the use of poison to control predators in hunting grounds, is causing trouble for the species in all its distribution range. The main negative effects detected were the disappearance of nesting pairs and the substitution of some adults by juvenile individuals in the reproductive pairs, which can affect their productivity. The beneficiary is currently involved in a national programme to combat the use of poison.
The radio-tracking programme increased significantly knowledge of the dispersal of the species, non-natural mortality causes and the existence or preferred feeding areas. Fourteen juvenile individuals were monitored in the last three years of the project. This type of action was also carried out in other regions, which provides a good scientific basis for the implementation of conservation measures. For instance, through this radio-tracking programme in Castilla-La Mancha a very important dispersal area has been identified (Campo de Montiel) where more than 60% of the juveniles from central Spain congregate during part of their dispersal phase.
Measures aimed at the recovery of rabbits, the main prey of this eagle, represented an important part of the project. The number of artificial burrows constructed (around 180), and the surface of grounds where the habitat was improved (162 ha), are testimony to scale of the efforts made. Actions to control foxes and feral dogs were also undertaken.
Moreover, a recovery plan for the species was drawn up. The Natura 2000 area for the imperial eagle considerably increased thanks to the project, with three new SPAs (with a total surface of 218,764 ha.) proposed. At the time of the receipt of the final report at the Commission, 82% of the reproductive pairs were included in SPAs. The project also managed to purchase an estate of 772 ha in Sierra Madrona. The land is located in a very important area not only for the imperial eagle but also for other priority species as the lynx and the wolf.
Finally, a series of awareness raising activities were carried out: production of leaflets and posters, and the holding of exhibition and several talks in the main villages located in imperial eagle breeding areas.