San Vicente de Alcántara

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.

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.

Between last May and June, the lesser kestrel chicks scheduled for release this year under the LIFE ZEPAURBAN Project were indeed released.

DEMA is a beneficiary partner of this Project and is responsible, among other things, for undertaking this action -- an action aimed at the production of chicks in the Lesser Kestrel Breeding Center and their release into the natural environment for the recovery of the urban SPA of San Vicente de Alcántara.

Tuesday, May 28 is the day scheduled for the first of three releases of lesser kestrel chicks to be carried out this year under the LIFE ZEPAURBAN Project, a project developed in Extremadura and coordinated by the General Directorate of the Environment of the Government of Extremadura, with DEMA as a beneficiary partner.

In mid-February, the first lesser kestrels began to arrive at the San Vicente de Alcántara SPA (Badajoz) after spending the winter in Africa. As part of Action C3 of the LIFE-ZEPAURBAN Project, the reinforcement or recovery of a lesser kestrel colony at risk of disappearance was contemplated. The chosen colony was that of San Vicente de Alcántara, which had disappeared years ago. The recovery work for this colony began in 2018 with the construction of the release module in the church tower and the transfer of the first 50 chicks born in captivity at the DEMA Breeding Center.

In the middle of June, the release programme of lesser kestrel chicks started, as planned in Action C.3. “Captive-breeding and reinforcement of lesser kestrel colonies at risk of disappearance”.