Over the past two years, as part of the Kras4us project (Interreg Italy-Slovenia), we have devoted considerable attention to in-depth monitoring of the Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus in the Karst region. But why did we choose this particular species? The Short-toed Eagle is one of the qualifying species of the Natura 2000 site "Kras" (Karst), which hosts a significant proportion of Slovenia’s population of this rare bird of prey.
Until now, the Short-toed Eagle has received relatively little attention, and the species has therefore been poorly studied in Slovenia. To survive, the Short-toed Eagle needs both open areas, where it hunts for prey, and undisturbed forest stands, where it nests. In the Karst, the species is threatened by two opposing factors: the overgrowth of open areas and the loss of forest stands (due to wildfires or logging) where it nests. In order to address these two threats more effectively, it was first necessary to gain a better understanding of where the species prefers to spend its time. We therefore surveyed all the main nesting and feeding sites of the species in the Karst. Only by knowing the locations of nesting sites can we prevent inappropriate interventions in these areas in the future, such as logging during the breeding season or even the destruction of forest stands containing nests. Knowledge of the species’ key feeding grounds in the Karst can also help guide future conservation efforts in the area.
As part of the Kras4us project, we identified the Short-toed Eagle as a charismatic species that we would like to bring closer to the public, owing to its ecology and its role in the ecosystem as an apex predator. To this end, we have produced a short film, which we are now pleased to present to you - it is available on DOPPS' YouTube channel: Short-toed Eagle – between wind and stone. The narration is in Slovene with English or Italian subtitles. The film's author is our friend and colleague Kajetan Kravos, with music by his son Simon.
The film was produced as part of the Kras4us project (Opportunities for the Conservation of the Biodiversity and Identity of the Karst), co-financed by the European Union under the Interreg VI-A Italy–Slovenia Programme.
Have a look, enjoy the film, and feel free to share it!
