15 years of conservation of Imperial Eagle in Austria
Gábor Wichmann
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Gefördert durch die EU im Rahmen des ETZ Slowakei-Österreich und durch das Land Niederösterreich im Projekt „CORO-SKAT“
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Content
Status Threats Conservation Measures Results of studies (e.g. telemetry)
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Breeding population
Distribution
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2009; 2 pairs 2008; 1-2 pairs 2011; 1 pair 2010; 2 pairs
1999; 3 pairs
2012; 1 pair
Distribution of tagged IE from Austria
• 7 tagged IE (1st-3rd cy) • from 2011 to 2013 • >5100 points • 95 % inside of yellow polygons
•Kernel Density Estimation; (cell size ~ 2600)
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Preleminary results of telemetry – juvenile dispersal Nest site influences juvenile disperal
open landscape [n=3 (5)]
July
floodplains forest [n=2]
August
September
Preleminary results of telemetry – juvenile dispersal Nest site influences juvenile disperal
mean distance from nest site [Kilometres]
30
25
20
15
open land 10
floodplain
5
0
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Main threats • • • • •
Illegal persecution Intensification of agricultural use (?) Wind power Crashing of nests Disturbance
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Illegal persecution Since 2000 6 cases of poisoning (Carbofuran) Data of telemetry Conservation measures: Public relations Co-operations with land owners and local hunters in nesting areas Illegal persecution Criminal complaint (together with WWF) other; 1 proven; 2 possible; 1
strong evidence; 2
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Intensification of agricultural use • Main Prey: hares, pheasants
Types of prey (n>225)
Hare 22%
Others 37%
Pigeon 18%
Pheasant 23%
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Intensification of agricultural use • Compared random points with points with hunting eagles (n=66) • GLM with binomial response variable and quasi binomial error structure • Habitat data (agricultural usage) showed no significance Name
Estimate
Std. Error
z-value
P
Intercept
8.32
3.70
2.249
0.03
Distance to nest
-0.91
0.40
-2.295
0.02
Hare density
0.06
0.08
0.752
0.45
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Intensification of agricultural use
Hunting eagles per km
1,8 1,6 1,4 Illegal 1,2 persecution most important influencing the distribution??? 1 0,8 0,6 0,4 0,2 0 0 1 2 3 4 Density of Hares (Individuals per point)
factor
5
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Intensification of agricultural use Measures: • Concept for RD 2014-2020 (agriculture/forestry) • Measures close to nests most important • Aim: increase of hare density (effect: improvement of the co-operation with hunters)
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Wind power Threat of collisions (no proved case) Expansion of windparks into critical areas Conservation measures Zoning projects (Burgenland, Lower Austria) including SEA raising objections in EIAs
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Nest protection Installing nest platforms Fixing nests Guarding nests (together with hunters and landowners) Brochure about nest protection
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Public relations • E-media – Homepage www.birdlife.at/coro-skat – Facebook („Alex Adler“) – 239 friends
• Information for locals (municipalities, landowners) • Excursions • T-Shirts • Classical media
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Summary
Trend positive Expansion of distribution Breeding success good Survival rate disastrous (sink population?) Illegal hunting main threat Measures Protection of nest sites and hunting territory Reduction of illegal hunting
Thanks for your attention
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Gefördert durch die EU im Rahmen des ETZ Slowakei-Österreich und durch das Land Niederösterreich im Projekt „CORO-SKAT“