Bio-diversity

About 80 couples of the White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) the globally endangered species breed in Lithuania. One of the reasons of endangering of this species is as follows: cutting out of mature woods when birds are frightened away and they lose the best nesting sites. Lithuania must ensure protection of at least 60 per cent of the population of this species. For that purpose specialized measures of protection must be implemented throughout the country. The goal of this project is to preserve and increase the population of the globally endangered White-tailed Eagle by involving the local communities in these activities, to increase the number of breeding couples, to establish a monitoring network and carry out monitoring, to raise awareness of the people in this sphere and to promote ideas of nature protection and nature management. 20 artificial nests will be put up in Klaipeda and in Vilnius counties. In winter season additionally 3,500kg of meat and fish will be fed to 30 birds in eight sites. 108 artificial and natural nests will be monitored, twenty young individuals will be marked and the database will be handled. For educational purposes and to increase the public participation in the environmental activities, community meetings will be held, 12 different events and seminars for specialists, foresters, and owners of private woods will be organized. A photography exhibition will be mounted for teachers and schoolchildren. Information leaflets will be published; expositions at Kaunas Zoo and Kaunas Zoo Museum will be prepared. Relevant information will be disseminated through the mass media. Employees of Kaunas Zoo took an active part in the project. Besides, cooperation with Trakai and Neringa municipalities is promoted. As a result of the present project the population of the sea eagle is likely to increase by 20-30 per cent. Moreover, cutting of woods should decrease by 10 per cent, consequently danger to this species will also decrease. In cooperation with the State Institute of Forest Management nest sites will be legalized and marked in the forest management plans, which, in turn, will reduce the risk of cutting of woods. Regular monitoring will allow relevant preventative measures to be applied.

Lithuania