Pigargo yes, Pigargo no… That’s the question. The reintroduction of Europe’s largest eagle to Spain caused a big incident. intense discussionHeated clashes took place between supporters and opponents. A real ‘war’. HE much of the environmental movement has been rejected by some scientists and animal husbandry groups The project, supported by the Group for the Rehabilitation of Indigenous Fauna and Habitat (GREFA), was “compensated” a few days ago. Support for species reproduction from the prestigious International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, the debate continues.
The first specimens of the European sea eagle on August 2, 2021 (Haliaeetus albicillaThose from Norway were transported to Pimiango, a small town in the Ribadedeva council of Asturia. Since that time 25 European eagles were released Some pairs have already formed in this coastal region, of which 20 survive.
Although the Pigargo Project is an initiative developed by GREFA with the technical and economic cooperation of the Ministry of Ecological Transformation and Demographic Struggle, it has been working on it since the nineties. Its startup responded to preliminary approval in 2018. list of extinct species Throughout the Spanish habitat, which includes the European eagle.
Moreover, The Natural Heritage and Biodiversity Law of 2007 stipulates that public administrations should encourage the reintroduction of extinct native flora and fauna species.. “As an NGO with over forty years of experience in biodiversity recovery, GREFA has taken up the challenge of restoring the European eagle as a breeding species in Spain,” the NGO explained in its quarterly newsletter in autumn 2023.
Deaths from electrocution and poison
More than two years have passed since the first release. most released eagles remain attached to the release areaSomething that is known in and around the east coast of Asturias, as well as other aquatic environments and inland reservoirs, in detail thanks to the GPS transmitters they carry, allowing their movements to be constantly tracked.
Pre-training, several pairsAccording to GREFA “a adaptation example “Very positive for the environmental conditions of the Cantabrian coast”. 80% of the released specimens survived: 5 of the 25 released eagles died; the two main reasons for this were: exposure to electricity And poison. Additionally, more than 90 electrical assists have been fixed and more fixes are planned.
GREFA underlines that the European eagle is “a species that has existed in Spain for more than 1.3 million years and well into historical times”Some are as young as those dating to between 400 and 800 BC, as evidenced by the numerous sites with remains spread across the Iberian Peninsula, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands. “C.’s fauna was the same as today,” he emphasizes.
“In historical times there are lots of references scientific hunting, historical literature and ancient writings on specimens hunted in Spain,” adds GREFA, claiming: The species feeds mainly on carrion and does not affect the fauna or local economy..
What do environmentalists and scientists who oppose the reintroduction of the eagle to Spain argue? First they talk about this:login“because they defended it There is ‘no evidence’ of breeding in historical times on the Iberian Peninsula. They even demanded the withdrawal of the released samples.
Dangerous to wildlife
Critics of the project claim that: lacks scientific support and eagles They pose a danger to wildlife.including protected species such as petting, and the claim that the Grefa pilot project does not meet various IUCN criteria; Among these, to save a species compromise at local and regional level.
“No because All Asturian NGOs, farmers, fishermen, the University of Oviedo and the Principality reject the projectBiologist Nicolás López-Jiménez, SEO/BirdLife representative in Asturias, pointed out ‘La Nueva España’ a few months ago. He argues that the eagle is “a super predator, large and powerful, feeding on more than just carrion.” including salmon”.
However, just a few days ago GREFA significant support for your project, IUCN approvalCreated in 1948 and considered the most important environmental organization in the world and the main reference on the state of the natural environment and measures to protect it.
In his report, The IUCN Conservation Translocation Specialist Group (CTSG) recommends that the project be maintained and the release of samples continued “according to the original plan and with the continuous monitoring carried out to date.”
“Beyond controversy and reasonable doubt regarding the last recorded dates of the presence of the European eagle in the Iberian Peninsula and neighboring countries, all paleontological, biogeographic and ecological information regarding the species establishes that it is a species generalist species It must have lived both on the Atlantic coast of Europe and in the interior of the Mediterranean basin,” says the IUCN report.
Release of samples stopped
“Whether the last eagle was killed in the 12th, 15th or 19th century has no real significance as to whether the species was part of the Spanish fauna in historical times (and thus ecologically equivalent to present times), and therefore could have been its reemergence could be seen as the return of a native species” indicates the international working group.
Pigargo Project for CTSG is included”within the highest international standards“Established for such actions and Complies “very satisfactorily” with guidelines for reuse and other translocations for species conservation developed by the IUCN.
The report also mentions: aspects that need improvementHe acknowledged that his technical team “could have made bigger and better efforts,” placing particular emphasis on the controversy surrounding the Pigargo Project. avoid such conflicts that go beyond the results of the project and are a regular part of any reintroduction effort.
In this respect, IUCN experts recommend intensifying efforts to explain the benefits of the return of the European sea eagle to the public.
Now, release of sea eagles suspendedbut GREFA hopes to continue in the near future. Principality Government The company, which initially supported the project, but changed its criteria and stopped supporting the project due to the rejection of Asturian environmental groups.
GREFA argues: “There are no technical or scientific reasons to justify stopping this initiative.“It was unanimously approved by the autonomous communities and the Ministry in the Wild Flora and Fauna Committee in 2019.”
IUCN report on Pigargo: https://grefa.org/multimedia/descargas/category/36-proyecto-pigargo.html?download=391
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