Results of the project
General results
1. New migration routes have been identified based on satellite-tracking of several Lesser White-fronted Goose individuals (please see map).
2. One satellite-tracked and one colour-ringed LWfG have been shot, in Russia and Greece, respectively, providing sad proof that hunting and poaching are primarily responsible for the decline of the species.
3. As a result of the campaign to raise public awareness, more attention is directed from the general public and from hunting associations to the threatened status and conservation of the species.
4. After a long-term decline of the species, the size of the population has not decreased further in recent years.
Migration routes by satellite-tracking of LWfG flying from breeding areas in Norway (blue/red)
and northern Ural (green) to wintering sites in Greece.
One bird (red)
was shot in Russia.
(© LIFE-project ) (enlarge map)
Satellite-supplied localities (red) of a LWfG on the
central fishpond
and in nearby
managed areas
(data from Apr 2007)
(© LIFE-project)
(enlarge)
Results from Hortobágy
1. Feeding sites established in safe, hunting-free areas have been visited by LWfG and other goose species as well as by cranes in high numbers.
2. LWfG have frequently used those grasslands around the main fishponds that have been grazed and irrigated in this project.
3. During most of their time in Hortobágy, LWfG have used the roosting sites established and maintained in this project.
4. Results from the monitoring system established in this project suggest that LWfG and other geese have used areas managed in this project more frequently and in greater numbers than similar, nearby, non-managed (control) areas.
5. Due to national hunting restrictions and parallel to our information campaign, goose hunting in E-Hungary has decreased considerably.
Flock of LWfG on cropland cultivated as part of this project
(© János Tar)
(enlarge)
LWfG resting in the managed roosting site
(© János Tar)
Meeting with hunting clubs operating in
the Hortobágy region
(© Petteri Tolvanen)
Project deliverables available for download
Public awareness leaflet, chiefly for hunters: pdf (0.4 MB)
Project brochure: pdf (6.3 MB), cover: pdf (0.6 MB)
Project information board: pdf (0.7 MB)
Booklet on how to help in LWfG conservation: pdf (2 MB)
Project presentation (in Hungarian): pdf (1.2 MB), pdf (0.2 MB)
Project presentation (in English): pdf (1 MB)
Spatial analysis of past (1971-2006) occurrences of LWfG in Hortobágy (in English): pdf (0.6 MB)
The history of Imre, the LWfG individual shot in Russia in 2006:
http://www.greenfo.hu/hirek/hirek_item.php?hir=15080
Press release regarding the shooting of a LWfG in Greece (April 2007): pdf (0.1 MB)
Portrait of "Imre", an LWfG individual tagged with a satellite transmitter
(© Morten Ekker)