Saker Falcons Return to Central Balkan National Park

In 2015, the Central Balkan National Park Directorate is implementing activities for the conservation and restoration of the Saker Falcon in Bulgaria. The aim of the project is to release 7 young birds into the wild using the hacking method, thereby supporting the return of the species as a breeding bird in the Central Balkan and in Bulgaria. The activity is carried out under project DIR 5113325-12-109 “Central Balkan – a Park for Everyone”, funded by Operational Programme “Environment 2007–2013” (OPE). On 20.06.2015, a team of the Fortis-NPM-IBEI Consortium (Natura consultant under the project “Central Balkan – a Park for Everyone”) carried out an inspection of the implementation of the project “Restoration, conservation and maintenance of the Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) population in Central Balkan National Park”. Four young falcons were observed in the adaptation aviary (hack) at the Selskiya Zavoy locality near the village of Tazha. The falcons are around 40 days old and are expected to leave the hack within a few days and become independent inhabitants of the park. At least three more falcons are due to be released, and 4 of the seven birds will be fitted with special transmitters to track their movements, preferred habitats and the threats they face in the wild. The falcons are cared for by two experts – Radost Filipova and Aleksandar Hitrov – two people devoted to their work despite the extreme conditions in the Central Balkan. We wish the Saker Falcon reintroduction team every success.