OSPREY’S REINTRODUCTION IN PORTUGAL: TWO CHICKS BORN AT ALQUEVA
Five years since the beginning of the project carried out by CIBIO-InBIO with the financial support of EDP – Energias de Portugal, there is thrilling confirmation that the birds released in the scope of this initiative are now breeding successfully at Alqueva.
The project, stemming from a partnership between CIBIO-InBIO and EDP, which has been recently renewed, is aimed at the re-establishment of the osprey population in its historical range along the Portuguese coastline, from where it disappeared as a breeder in the beginning of the 21st century. Following this overarching goal, from 2011 to 2015, 56 juvenile animals were transferred from Sweden and Finland to the Alqueva dam. After a period of adaptation, some of these animals have been nesting successfully, allowing for successful breeding events registered in Portugal since 1996.
The renewal of the collaboration protocol between CIBIO-InBIO and EDP for three additional years will enable various actions which will hopefully allow the settlement of the ospreys released at Alqueva dam, as well as attract more ospreys from other countries or settings. These actions will also prompt additional public awareness initiatives related to this project. According to Luís Palma, the technical coordinator of this project, “this new phase will be crucial for the success of the initiative, in order to improve this species’ nesting habitats, and consequently ensure the reproductive success of this species”.
To know more about this topic, please follow the links below:
"Crias. 2016, o ano dos bebés para duas espécies em perigo" | Jornal i | July 2, 2016 (Information available in Portuguese)
"Mais de uma década depois a águia pesqueira , uma espécie ameaçada, voltou a nascer em Portugal. Na zona de Alqueva, no Alentejo nasceram duas crias" | Antena 1| June 27, 2016 (Information available in Portuguese)
“Depois de uma década e meia, nasceram as duas primeiras crias de águia-pesqueira no Alqueva” |Rádio Campanário| June 21, 2016 (Information available in Portuguese)
"Águia-pesqueira volta a nascer em Portugal pela mão do CIBIO-InBIO" |NotíciasUP| June 21, 2016 (Information available in Portuguese)
“A águia-pesqueira voltou a nascer em Portugal” |Público| June 20, 2016 (Information available in Portuguese)
“Nasceram duas crias de águia-pesqueira no Alentejo” |Wilder| June 17, 2016 (Information available in Portuguese)