Great Bustard – Otis tarda

In the course of a major press event with Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister Zolt Semjén, the first section of a medium-voltage power line from NKM in the Kiskunság National Park was transfered below the ground and the last pylon dismantled.

Reason for joy. During the night, at 1:45 am, a juvenile bustard was photographed by farmer Robert Kriegl in a fallow field in Marchfeld. Fortunately, the farmer has taken consideration. Because the fallow should have been chopped today - now once shifted by 2-3 weeks - and Bustard expert Rainer Raab will ride along and watch, because in the Marchfeld every juvenile Bustard is very much needed.

EU wants to learn from Burgenland Great Bustards Protection!

Our projects for Europe's heaviest airworthy bird are best practice examples in nature conservation and cause a stir in Europe.

Through various activities, the GReat Bustard avtivists have managed to increase the endangered population of the Great Bustard in the border region of Austria-Hungary-Slovakia from under 100 animals to more than 400 specimens of "Otis tarda", while elsewhere in Europe the stocks continue to decline in many areas. During a visit by one responsible member of the European Commission (EASME) and the outsourced monitoring team (NEEMO), the body responsible for the evaluation of nature conservation projects, an attempt was made to determine the reasons for this success. Felix Bergmann and Mattia Pellegrini "We want to learn from the efforts we have made to be able to act similarly in other areas". The coordinator of the protection efforts in Austria and Central Europe, Rainer Raab "The combination of various measures for the Great Bustard brings success. The provision of specially designed protective areas for the successful rearing of young Bustards and the protection against losses are decisive factors. Due to the underground cabling and subsequent removal of medium-voltage power lines or marking of power lines, but also by the predator control by the hunters and the increased number of juvenile Bustards, the stock in northern Burgenland has recovered significantly". Werner Falb-Meixner, Chairman of the Austrian Society for the Protection of the Great Bustard "The secret of success is the intensive cooperation of farmers, hunters, conservationists and the communities. It has been possible to create the protection areas with the Austrian program for environmentally-oriented agriculture and to raise additional funds for various protection activities in the now 3rd EU LIFE project. "

On the picture from left:
Felix Bergmann (NEEMO), Miki Lorant (Hungarian Bustard Coordinator), Rainer Raab (European Great Bustard Coordinator), Mattia Pellegrini (EASME), Werner Falb-Meixner (Chairman of the Austrian Society for Great Bustard Conservation).

In 2018, in the course of our LIFE Project Great Bustard, like for the first time in 2017, synchronous counts of the Great Bustard will take place throughout Central Europe, namely in January, in February and March counts will take place in Germany, Austria, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Hungary, where Bustard experts in all known winter habitats will count preferably all Great Bustards on the same day.

From November 10th to November 11th the 8th MAVIR Bird Conservation Conference took place in Budapest, Ungarn. Presentation of "25 years of the LIFE Programme - 12.5 years of LIFE Projects for the Great Bustard (Otis tarda) population in Central Europe - and the ongoing Austrian-Hungarian LIFE Project "Great Bustard" by R. Raab and M. Lóránt, as well as presentation of the LIFE Project in many dialogues by R. Raab (Action E.6: Publications in scientific journals and presentations at scientific conferences).

Participation at the Seminar "Vögel in der Kulturlandschaft" on August 11th 2017 in the chamber of agriculture NÖ. Presentation about the Great Bustard, as well as Presentation of the LIFE Project in many dialogues by Rainer Raab. (Action E.6: Publications in scientific journals and presentations at scientific conferences)

Presentation Otto Bauer

On 19.05.2017 the official Opening of the Observation Tower in Zurndorf takes place, in the course of the 25 years of LIFE anniversary, under the direction of member of the parliament mayor Werner Friedl, ÖGG chairman Werner Falb-Meixner, Great Bustard Coordinator Rainer Raab and Councilor Astrid Eisenkopf.

19th LIFE Plattform in Seekirchen Wallersee on 2. und 3.5.2017, Poster about the current LIFE Project and presentation of the LIFE Project in many dialogues by Rainer Raab. (Action E.2: Project Board Meetings and Information Events)

Vortrag LIFE Plattform

waldrapp

BirdExperience Excursion to the project area together with National park guide Barbara Koflerand presentation of the LIFE Project in many dialogues by Rainer Raab. (Action E.2: Project Board Meetings and Information Events)

BirdExperience Excursion 1

BirdExperience Excursion 2