Aware-raising

As part of the LIFE-ZEPAURBAN project a specific action (C3) was defined to reinforce the urban ZEPA of San Vicente de Alcántara. This action was initiated in 2018 and was carried out by means of a captive breeding programme and a programme of releases in the enclave.

In 2020 the census recorded a total of 5 lesser kestrel pairs established in the urban ZEPA of San Vicente de Alcántara.  A year later in 2021 a total of 12-13 established pairs were found.

As part of the LIFE-ZEPAURBAN project multiple actions have been carried out designed to improve the conservation and management of breeding colonies in urban ZEPAs and also to find out more about the feeding areas on which the urban populations of lesser kestrels depend for their conservation. The results of the various actions of the LIFE projects have included very valuable information on the species from all over the region; this information has served to develop various normative documents which will contribute towards improving the situation of the species.

The experts look to the future of the lesser kestrel. The creation and management of urban ZEPAs (Special Bird Protection Areas) containing lesser kestrels and the potential of this species as a tourist resource were the themes of the fourth and last day of the VIII International Congress online on the conservation of the lesser kestrel.

EXPERTS AGREE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROTECTION OF AGRICULTURAL HABITAT IN THE CONSERVATION OF THE LESSER KESTREL

For the third consecutive day experts of international renown met today at the VIII International Congress online on lesser kestrel conservation as part of the LIFE-ZEPAURBAN project; the Congress was coordinated by the Sustainability Department of the Regional Government of Extremadura. Today's programme stressed the importance of traditional farming practice in the conservation of suitable habitat for the lesser kestrel.

Today was the second day of the VIII International Congress online on the conservation of the lesser kestrels as part of the LIFE-ZEPAURBAN project, which is coordinated by the Sustainability Department of the Regional Government of Extremadura.

The minister for Ecological Transition and Sustainability of the Regional Government of Extremadura, Olga García, has inaugurated the VIII International Congress online on the conservation of the lesser kestrel, appealing for awareness in all sectors so as to continue working for the conservation of the species. She has stressed as an example of what can be done the achievements of recent years with the LIFE-ZEPAURBAN project on "Urban ZEPA Management in Extremadura", of which this congress is one of the final events.

The first lesser kestrel chicks of the 2021 season are already in the release unit located in the Church of San Vicente Mártir in the urban ZEPA of San Vicente de Alcántara. This is the main scenario for the actions of consolidating the lesser kestrel colonies of the LIFE-ZEPAURBAN project.

On 22nd April Terra Naturalis, the partner in charge of the follow-up of the species as part of the LIFE-ZEPAURBAN project, proceeded to capture and fit seven individuals of the Acedera ZEPA with GPS datalogger transmitters. This action was carried out in the context of Action D1, although the transmitters were financed by the Sustainability Department at no charge to Life.

of its food, the loss of nesting sites and competition for the same, and disturbance during the breeding season.

Moreover, the chicks suffer a high rate of accidental falls to the ground when they begin to venture outside the nest; as they are not yet able to fly they are easy prey for their predators. They may also be injured or even killed by these falls as some nests are situated at a height of over 75 m; the high temperature inside the nests, competition for the food brought by their parents, and a scarcity of safe places to perch also contribute towards the risk of falls.

The tourist offices of Cáceres, Jerez de los Caballeros, Plasencia, Trujillo, and Zafra will soon have new promotional material as part of the Life-ZEPAURBAN project, the result of the work carried out by our Laruinagráfica partners and the Tourist Department for the E5 action of the project. This material takes the form of street maps so the visitor can go on a self-guided tour and get to know at the same time the main monumental and ornithological heritage of each of these five towns.