Return initiative - Outside the Bavarian Forest, a brood of great horned owls was found.
In Steinwald Nature Park, two Eagle Owl couples have been spotted breeding, marking Germany's first wild Eagle Owl breeding outside of the Bavarian Forest. This groundbreaking discovery was made by the VLAB, an organization specializing in landscape management, species protection, and biodiversity in Erbendorf, Tirschenreuth District. The VLAB's chair, Johannes Bradtka, expressed his enthusiasm, remarking, "I'm still shaking."
To reintroduce these birds back into the wild, VLAB initiated a ten-year project in Northeast Bavaria in 2017. So far, 83 Eagle Owls have been released in the region's Middle Mountain Forests. Among them, two pairs of breeding owls have been identified, and five young owls have been spotted. "It's fantastic news," stated Michaela Domeyer, the project's leader. "Not only does this mean that the Eagle Owls feel at ease in their ancestral habitat, but it also shows our work is on the right track."
Over the years, Eagle Owls come from various zoological institutions and other falconries in Germany, France, and Belgium to ensure a genetically diverse population. This population aims to expand throughout the forests of Northeast Bavaria and Northwest Bohemia, connecting with the isolated population in the National Parks of Bavarian Forest and Šumava/Bohemian Forest in the Czech Republic.
All bird releases are carefully acclimated in large aviaries, preparing them for the wild. The VLAB strategically placed about 220 nest boxes in the forests of Fichtelgebirge, Hessenreuther Forest, Upper Palatinate Forest, Steinwald, Grafenwöhr Training Area, and beyond the border in the Czech Republic's Bohemian Forest for the birds' convenience.
The Eagle Owl's return is seen as a significant step in species protection and the pursuit of biological diversity in Germany, according to VLAB. The organization plans to be more vocal in advocating for forestry companies and woodland owners for the preservation of dead wood and old trees, providing crucial breeding spots for Eagle Owls.
Standing at approximately 60 centimeters long, Eagle Owls have an impressive wingspan of 125 centimeters and can live up to 20 years. Germany considered them extinct since the 1920s' end.
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Source: www.stern.de
