15 years of conservation of Imperial Eagle in Austria

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“