The endangered bird species in the European Union that gets strict protection have shown signs of growth in population.
A positive impact on conserved birds has been observed for species like the Dalmatian pelicans, griffon vultures, red kites and cranes.
It has also been noted that the birds that were accorded the greatest of protections were faring significantly better than other bird species, a research has shown.
A study about the "annex 1" protected birds recently published in the journal Conservation Letters found out that birds in the list mentioned above under the EU’s birds directive, that requires governments to take action to conserve them, have a greater chance of increasing their populations than birds that are not included in the list.
The study says that despite the challenges posed by climate change with regards to the population of birds, the birds under the protection umbrella were doing well. It also noted that a number of species have been affected by global warming.
The problems that migratory birds faced along their migration route or their African wintering grounds has not allowed long-distance migrants to pose any significant benefit from the protection, the study noted. This indicated that the efforts of conservation of the birds in Europe were not matched by the problems that the birds were facing on their migratory routes.
RSPB, BirdLife International and Durham University jointly conducted the study and found out that the endangered birds fared well in the countries which have been members of the European Union for longer periods of time.
The European Union is in the process of conducting a review of the birds and habitats directives which is opposed by conservationists claiming that the review of the existing protection norms would wreck havoc among the protected bird population in UK the EU wildlife in a generation.
The EU has fostered rules and regulations that have been used for protection of birds and wildlife since 1979 and the conservationists fear that a review of the policies would be mistakenly regard as a blockade to growth.
The RSPB said that bird species like avocets, white-tailed eagles, bitterns, red kites, cranes, corncrakes, ospreys and marsh harriers, all included in annex 1 of the EU list have increasingly risen in the last 25 years.
“Our findings confirm that species with the highest level of protection under the birds directive, such as Dalmatian pelican, spoonbill, griffon vulture and greater flamingo, are more likely to have increasing populations, and that these results are most apparent in countries that have been members of the European Union for longer,” said RSPB scientist Dr Fiona Sanderson who is also the lead author of the published paper.
Another RSPB member and conservation director of the organization, Martin Harper said that the European Commission has adequate reasons in the form of extended public support for the protection of the endangered species of birds.
“These laws are delivering for Europe’s nature and its citizens, and now is not the time to jeopardize the effectiveness of these laws and the progress made,” Harper said.
(source:www.theguardian.com)
A positive impact on conserved birds has been observed for species like the Dalmatian pelicans, griffon vultures, red kites and cranes.
It has also been noted that the birds that were accorded the greatest of protections were faring significantly better than other bird species, a research has shown.
A study about the "annex 1" protected birds recently published in the journal Conservation Letters found out that birds in the list mentioned above under the EU’s birds directive, that requires governments to take action to conserve them, have a greater chance of increasing their populations than birds that are not included in the list.
The study says that despite the challenges posed by climate change with regards to the population of birds, the birds under the protection umbrella were doing well. It also noted that a number of species have been affected by global warming.
The problems that migratory birds faced along their migration route or their African wintering grounds has not allowed long-distance migrants to pose any significant benefit from the protection, the study noted. This indicated that the efforts of conservation of the birds in Europe were not matched by the problems that the birds were facing on their migratory routes.
RSPB, BirdLife International and Durham University jointly conducted the study and found out that the endangered birds fared well in the countries which have been members of the European Union for longer periods of time.
The European Union is in the process of conducting a review of the birds and habitats directives which is opposed by conservationists claiming that the review of the existing protection norms would wreck havoc among the protected bird population in UK the EU wildlife in a generation.
The EU has fostered rules and regulations that have been used for protection of birds and wildlife since 1979 and the conservationists fear that a review of the policies would be mistakenly regard as a blockade to growth.
The RSPB said that bird species like avocets, white-tailed eagles, bitterns, red kites, cranes, corncrakes, ospreys and marsh harriers, all included in annex 1 of the EU list have increasingly risen in the last 25 years.
“Our findings confirm that species with the highest level of protection under the birds directive, such as Dalmatian pelican, spoonbill, griffon vulture and greater flamingo, are more likely to have increasing populations, and that these results are most apparent in countries that have been members of the European Union for longer,” said RSPB scientist Dr Fiona Sanderson who is also the lead author of the published paper.
Another RSPB member and conservation director of the organization, Martin Harper said that the European Commission has adequate reasons in the form of extended public support for the protection of the endangered species of birds.
“These laws are delivering for Europe’s nature and its citizens, and now is not the time to jeopardize the effectiveness of these laws and the progress made,” Harper said.
(source:www.theguardian.com)
