PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Until recently a remote and inaccessible area, the Pyrenees represented one of the last refuges in Europe for some of our most spectacular and endangered mammals and birds, including the brown bear (Ursus arctos), the Pyrenean ibex (Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica) and the bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus).
Even in the Pyrenees, all three had suffered dramatic losses as a result of direct impacts from hunting and poaching or through more diffuse human pressure on their habitat and the loss of genetic variability. The planned construction of a motorway along the Vallée d'Aspe in the early 1990s crossing the habitat of the last brown bears in the Pyrenees led to bitter confrontations both on-site and through political and judicial channels.
At the start of the project, these large fauna species had disappeared from many areas and were confined to the most inaccessible areas of the mountain chain. The bear population had fallen from 20-30 in 1984 to 9-11 by 1992, while the 10-12 ibex left had not bred since 1987. At 70 pairs, the plight of the bearded vulture was only marginally better.
This alarming situation could only be addressed by immediate concerted action on both sides of the French-Spanish border. This project was part of a two-phase, multi-beneficiary approach involving the national authorities of France and Spain, and three Spanish regional authorities. The relevant projects were:
LIFE93 NAT/E/011800 and LIFE95 NAT/E/000624 (Spanish Environment Ministry)
LIFE93 NAT/E/011801 and LIFE95 NAT/E/001160 (Aragon)
LIFE93 NAT/E/011802 and LIFE95 NAT/E/001159 (Catalonia)
LIFE93 NAT/E/011803 and LIFE95 NAT/E/001162 (Navarra).
LIFE93 NAT/F/011804 and LIFE95 NAT/F/001164 (French Environment Ministry)
The two-phases of the Aragon project are presented as one below.
OBJECTIVES
The overall multi-beneficiary approach aimed to conserve and recover the three target fauna species through habitat improvement and targeted species protection. Planned actions included:
application of less damaging forms of forestry
captive breeding of the ibex and re-introduction to the wild
preparation of new habitats and feeding sites for the bear and reintroduction of individuals from Slovenia
increased availability of prey and protection of nesting sites for the bearded vulture
The French and Spanish authorities aimed to collaborate on a package of sub-projects covering nearly 4 000 km² to pull the populations of the three species back from the brink of extinction. The project plans were in accordance with the recovery plans designed by the regional and national authorities. Scientific research and monitoring of the species as well as awareness-raising towards land users and local authorities were to be permanent supporting actions.
This particular sub-project, co-ordinated by the Regional Environment Ministry of Aragon covered all three target species.
Global objectives (all species):
Habitat protection and improvement through the regulation of human activities (e.g. forestry practices, farming practices, tourism etc. as appropriate).
Increased surveillance, scientific research and monitoring
Information dissemination and increasing public awareness
Specific objectives:
Bearded vulture – increase survival rates by the provision of supplementary feeding sites and modifying power lines to reduce adult mortality.
Brown bear – improved compensation system following damage by roaming re-introduced bears from France and protective measures for stockbreeders.
Pyrenean ibex – capture of remaining animals (estimated at 10-12 individuals) for a captive breeding programme and subsequent re-introduction into the wild.
RESULTS
Overall, the multi-beneficiary project had mixed results. The greatest successes were for the bearded vulture, which saw increases in population, distribution and survival, and the elaboration of a national strategy. Measures were implemented to improve bear habitat and management, which should benefit the species in the long-term. A lasting benefit of the projects was greatly increased knowledge of the biology of these species and the boost given to coordinated action between the regional and national players. However, the projects were too late for the Pyrenean ibex, which sadly became extinct in January 2000.
This regionally coordinated sub-project made an important contribution to conservation efforts for the bearded vulture and brown bear and tried valiantly to save the sub-species of ibex. The actions and results of the project are as follows:
Bearded vulture
The sub-project successfully implemented measures to reduce adult mortality and increase breeding success. It provided eight supplementary feeding sites and modified 23 power lines - devices to reduce collisions and insulation to prevent electrocutions - to reduce fatalities. It designated 41 no disturbance zones around nest sites in hunting estates, and liaised with climbing clubs in sensitive areas to reduce disturbance and persecution.
In Aragon, eight nesting sites which regularly failed because of disturbance and plundering were kept under special surveillance and four pairs bred successfully as a result. Overall, the population in Aragón increased from 33 to 44 pairs (a 33% increase) during the project term and the number of occupied territories increased from 29 in 1994 to 46 in 1998. Survival rates of adults and juveniles improved.
A demographic study of the species was carried out by means of capture, marking and radio-tracking of individuals and a demographic model designed for estimating adult and sub-adult populations. Following this model, the estimated population of sub-adults across the wider project area increased from 144-146 individuals in 1995 up to 150-160 individuals at the end of the project.
Public awareness and information efforts improved the perception of the species as a source of social and environmental benefit. However, the full potential was not realised due to the failure to install a remote observation nest video camera or construct a hide in Ordesa National Park.
The project contributed significantly to the development of a national recovery plan for the species.
Brown bear
The project established a special team dedicated to monitor potential bear areas. The project formed part of a coordinated network with the project partners, using a common methodology for prospecting territory, identifying and measuring tracks and other signs of bear presence, enabling permanent monitoring of the species across the Pyrenees. The Aragon project only sporadically found bears in the western Pyrenees, until the arrival into the Benasque area of a bear that was re-introduced to the central Pyrenees by the French sub-project.
A recovery plan for the brown bear in Aragón was drawn up and legally passed and adopted. All actions in this project were in accordance with this plan. A management plan was developed for the Los Valles SPA/pSCI, a potentially valuable area for bears. Habitat conservation measures were implemented, notably through the use of compensation payments to prevent timber cutting in three forest areas, and the closure of forest tracks to reduce disturbance.
The project implemented specific measures to support stockbreeders at risk of bear attacks through the provision of metal enclosures, electric fencing, and speeded-up compensation procedures. This was necessary following attacks on livestock from a re-introduced bear coming over from France.
An information centre was opened in Ansó - the only one in this part of the Pyrenees –which received about 10 000 people each year.
Pyrenean ibex
The project did not succeed because the estimated 10-12 animals at the start of the project turned out to be an over-optimistic assessment. Only three females were located, and no males. This made the original breeding plans impossible.
A revised plan was devised to hybridise the surviving females with males from the closest sub-species, the Spanish Ibex (Capra pyrenaica hispanica). One female was captured using a box-trap and attempts were made to breed her in captivity with two male Spanish ibex, but these attempts failed as she was too old (13 years old) and died within a year.
Male Spanish ibex were released into the wild in the hope that they would breed with the two surviving Pyrenean ibex females and mating behaviour was observed. However, no successful breeding took place and the sub-species became extinct when the last surviving Pyrenean ibex died in Ordesa in January 2000.
Studies had been carried out to determine measures to improve the Pyrenean ibex’s habitat, through scrub clearance and sowing herbaceous species, but these were not implemented following the extinction of the sub-species.
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