Leipzig Zoo's Peregrine Falcons Transferred to an Austrian Zoo
The barn owl reintroduction project in Austria is a significant initiative aimed at securing the future of the critically endangered barn owl species in the country. This project, supported by numerous institutions and zoos, including Leipzig Zoo, is not limited to the Wienerwald settlement area but also includes the wilderness area Dürrenstein.
Two barn owl chicks, hatched at Leipzig Zoo, are being prepared for release into the wild in Austria. After acclimatization, these chicks will be released into their natural habitat, where they will be monitored and initially supported with food. The Biosphere Park Wienerwald and the wilderness area Dürrenstein have been identified as suitable habitats for the reintroduced barn owls.
The reintroduction project in Austria is based on the successful reintroduction in the Bavarian Forest National Park since the 1970s. The success of the reintroduction project in the Bavarian Forest National Park serves as a model for the current project in Austria.
Michael Meyerhoff, a species conservation specialist, expressed pride in supporting this project through Leipzig Zoo's first breeding success with barn owls. The project is led by a research team headed by ornithologist Richard Zink at the Konrad Lorenz Institute of the University of Vienna.
However, it's important to note that changes in traditional barns, such as remodeling or loss of suitable nesting sites, can affect barn owl presence and breeding success. This underscores the importance of maintaining or creating appropriate nesting habitats in reintroduction or conservation efforts.
Broader conservation work on bird species, including barn owls, is ongoing in Austria as part of countryside jobs and volunteer initiatives. However, detailed contemporary reports or metrics on population trends post-reintroduction or formal releases were not available.
In the middle of the 20th century, the barn owl was considered extinct in Germany and Austria. The successful reintroduction of barn owls in the Bavarian Forest National Park demonstrates the potential for similar projects to secure the future of the barn owl species in other regions.
[1] Study from 2010 examining the effect of barn conversions on local barn owl populations in Austria. [3] Ongoing conservation work on bird species in Austria, including barn owls.
The barn owl chicks, hatched at Leipzig Zoo, will be released into their natural home-and-garden, the Biosphere Park Wienerwald and the wilderness area Dürrenstein, once they have acclimatized. To ensure the success of the reintroduction project, it's crucial to maintain traditional lifestyle elements that provide suitable nesting sites for the barn owls, such as preserving original barns and their structures.
