Securing Prey Sources for Endangered Aquila Heliaca and Falco Cherrug Population in the Carpathian Basin

Home , European ground squirrel, Saker falcon

SECURING PREY SOURCES FOR ENDANGERED AQUILA HELIACA AND FALCO CHERRUG POPULATION IN THE CARPATHIAN BASIN

LIFE13 NAT/HU/000183 LIFE13 NAT/HU/000183 „A veszélyeztetett parlagi sas és kerecsensólyom populációk zsákmánybázisának biztosítása a Kárpát-medencében” Securing prey sources for endangered Aquila the project strives to reinforce the populations heliaca and Falco cherrug population in the of the aforementioned small mammals to help “Securing prey sources for endangered Falco cherrug and Carpathian basin the effective conservation of rare raptors. Aquila heliaca population in the Carpathian basin” The project, co-financed by the European Un- LIFE the European Union’s financing ion’s LIFE+ programme, aimed to increase the Published with the financial support of the European Union’s instrument for environmental programs LIFE program in 1500 copies in December 2018. populations of the (Aquila heliaca) and saker falcon (Falco cherrug) both being globally threatened The LIFE (L’Instrument Financier pour l’En- vironment) program was established in 1992 to and playing a key role in a European context. Both support the environmental policy of the Europe- species are considered threatened bird species in an Union for which Hungary and Romania have Edited by:: Annex I of the EU’s Birds Directive and the LIFE+ been eligible since 1999. LIFE has been trans- Attila Németh Nature, and their largest populations in Europe formed several times since its launch. LIFE + of exist in the Carpathian Basin. Due to previous LIFE-Nature programs are designed to promote conservation efforts their populations have been Written by: and fund the protection of Natura 2000 sites re- growing steadily in the Carpathian Basin. How- Attila Németh, Tamás Cserkész, Lajos Nagy, Vilmos Altbäcker, ever, populations of their important prey species quired by the Birds and Habitats Directives. Márton Horváth, Mátyás Prommer, R. Benedek Sallai, Olivér Váczi such as the European ground-squirrel (Spermo- Natura 2000, the European Union’s philus citellus), hamster (Cricetus cricetus) and ecological network European hare (Lepus europaeus) have decreased Contributors: The system of the Natura 2000 areas, a gradually due to the loss and degradation of nat- János Bagyura, Zoltán Balog, Zsolt Hegyeli, continuous ecological network established by ural grasslands. For these reasons, the popula- György Krnács, Endre Sós, Gábor Sramkó, Miklós Váczi the European Union aims to conserve biodi- tions of southern birch mouse (Sicista subtilis) and versity through the protection of natural hab- Vojvodina blind mole rat (Nannospalax montano- itats and wild, native plant and animal species. Proofread by: syrmiensis), which play an important ecological The network contains two types of areas; the Tatjána Kardos, Anna Fidlóczky and József Fidlóczky role in grassland ecosystems, have also decreased. Special Protection Areas are designated under These processes threaten the results of the con- the Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds Maps and Figures by: servation work that had been done to protect the established in 1979, while Sites of Community Cserkész Tamás, Hegyeli Zsolt, Németh Attila, Prommer Mátyás, Sramkó Gábor eagles and falcons. The continuously declining pop- Importance are defined in the Habitat Directive ulations of the lesser blind mole rat and southern ratified in 1992. On Natura 2000 areas, differ- birch mouse represent exceptional nature conser- Photos: ent economic, social and cultural activities can vation values on their own while the hamster and only be undertaken with a sustainable environ- Tamás Cserkész, Attila Bacskai, János Bagyura, Zoltán Balog, Márton Horváth, Viktória Koroknai, European hare are especially important key ele- mental approach, while giving priority to nature András Mészáros, Géza Molnár, Lajos Nagy, Attila Németh, László Novák, János Attila Pásztor, Mátyás Prommer, ments of the grassland food chain. In view of this, conservation interests. R. Benedek Sallai, Viktor Scneider, Harvančík Stanislav, Pál Simon, Tamás Szitta, Antal Széll, József Vers

Suggested citation: Németh A., Cserkész T., Nagy L., Altbäcker V., Horváth M., Prommer M., Váczi O. (2018): RaptorsPrey LIFE project (LIFE13 NAT/HU/000183) – Layman’s report (2014-2018). Nimfea Environment and Nature Conservation Association, Túrkeve. 28 pp.

ISBN 978-963-9977-21-1

Published by: Nimfea Environment and Nature Conservation Association, Túrkeve. Created by: (Köménymag Grafika, Vác).

Diet study of the eastern imperial eagle The Hungarian population showed a significant increase during the project period, thus the number of breeding pairs reached 247 in 2018 from 152 pairs in 2014. The HELICON and PannonEagle LIFE projects fighting against illegal poisoning have also largely contributed to this increase. With- The eastern imperial eagle in the framework of our project two birds (Aquila heliaca) were tagged with a satellite transmitter in Hungary and another two in Romania in order to find their foraging habitats. We also deployed camera traps at six eagle nests which enabled us to collect data about their The eastern imperial eagle belongs to prey they feed their chicks with. In paral- the large eagles. The adults are dark-brown lel, a huge database of 36 years about the with golden nape and head and had white food composition of the species was also shoulder patches. Young individuals are processed. Diet studies proved a drastic de- yellowish acquiring adult plumage through cline of both ground-squirrel and hamster several intermediate ones. The majority populations since their presence among of the population exists in the Great Hun- prey were only 0.03% and 7.42%, respective- garian Plain, but a small proportion nest in ly, and their rate showed a continuous fall Transdanubia as well. It prefers to breed in the past 20 years. The eastern imperial within reach of grazed lands with high den- eagle has disappeared from certain areas Home range of eastern sity of ground-squirrels and usually builds imperial eagle in the project area due to the decrease of its formerly common its nest in tree alleys or on a lone tree be- preys, while in other parts other species between agricultural parcels and grasslands. came its major food source. In many areas It used to feed primarily on ground-squir- the common hare and pheasant became the rels and hamsters, however, due to their most frequently hunted prey species cre- sharp decline, the common hare and corvid ating a source of conflict with gamekeep- species became its dominant food source. ers which resulted in the increase of illegal It occasionally also scavenges. The species poisoning. All this shows how important it has suffered a decline all over its distribu- would be to strengthen the populations of tion area, therefore its population increase the natural prey of the species. in Hungary is of great importance. Today, poisoning and electrocution are considered to be the most important threats to the species. In 2018, the Hungarian population reached around 247 pairs while the Roma- nian population consisted of only one or two pairs. It is strictly protected in Hunga- ry possessing a natural conservation value of one million forints (~3100 EUR) while in Romania it is also protected with a value of 2700 EUR. The target species and activities to conserve them The target species and activities to conserve

4 5 The diet of the Saker Falcon During the project duration, the population of the saker falcon showed a moderate decline in Hungary, but the Romanian population pleasingly increased in the same period. In order to learn more about the diet of the species, we deployed camera traps at 67 and 13 nests in Hungary and in Romania, respectively. Saker Falcon Results made clear that the proportion of the European ground squirrel – the favoured prey Movement of satellite tracked saker falcons (Falco cherrug) of the saker falcon – significantly decreased in Hungary in the last years. This may be one of the reasons for the moderate decline of saker falcon population. In the Romanian areas The Saker falcon is the largest falcon species Home range of saker falcon however, the European ground squirrel was in Hungary. Its head and back are brown, breast in the project area presented in high proportion in the saker fal- is white with longitudinal drop-shaped marking cons’ diet. In frame of the project, loggers were and light brown spots can be found on the wing deployed on 16 falcons to learn about their and tail feathers. feeding grounds. In addition, earlier satellite The bulk of the population lives east of the tracking data from previous LIFE projects were river Danube in open lowland areas. In Transdan- processed. Results suggest that saker falcons ubia, Sakers live mostly in Fejér and Győr-Mo- need relatively large area to breed successful- son-Sopron counties. Recently, the species ly. They prefer to hunt for the European ground settled in West Romania, in Partium and Banat squirrels and if the species is present in their areas. Breeding pairs usually remain in their territory, they adjust their hunts to the sea- breeding ground all year round. They breed in sonal activities and life cycle of the European woods, alleys or solitary trees, if the habitat is ground squirrel. In case the density of a Euro- appropriate. They do not build nest but occupy pean ground squirrel colony falls under a crit- nests of other species. Nowadays the bulk of ical number, falcons do not target that colony, the Hungarian population nests in artificial nest even if it can be found relatively close boxes installed on pylons of high-voltage power to their nest. On the contrary, if lines. Their most preferred prey is the European a colony has a good density, ground squirrel, but they regularly hunt for ham- saker falcons are willing to ster (Cricetus cricetus), common vole (Microtus fly even 20-25 km (each arvalis), starling (Sturnus vulgaris) and feral pi- way) to catch the Euro- geon (Columba livia f. domestica). pean ground squirrel. Saker falcon is a globally endangered species. Due to conservation efforts, its population increased in the past decades, however the population shows a moderate decline recently. The Romanian population is increasing. The largest threats are now the deterioration of habitats, decrease of prey populations, but also poisoning and electrocution are considerable mortality factors. The estimated populations in Hungary and Romania are 142-165 and 25-30 pairs, respectively. The species is strictly protected in Hunga- ry its established conservation value is 1 million The target species and activities to conserve them The target species and activities to conserve HUF (~3100 EUR) per individual. Saker falcon is also a protected species in Romania with a conservation value of 2700 EUR.

6 7 8 The target species and activities to conserve them squirrel intheproject area in2017 Spread oftheEuropean ground European EUR). It is also protected in Romania, but with no species inHungaryvalued at250.000HUF(~800 polecat. Theground squirrel isastrictlyprotected and imperialeagle,orunderground like thesteppe squirrels, eitherabove ground, like saker falcons tors withspecialisedtechniquestocapture ground tiles anditisprey for several endangered preda- shelter for several insects,amphibiansandrep- the steppeecosystem. Itsburrow system provides predation isprevented by humanactivities. where theshortgrassserves other purposesand well-maintained grasslands,like grassy airports, survival ofthespeciesmay also dependoncertain is ageneraldecrease incolony densities,too.The Dunántúl andDanube-Tisza interfluve, andthere are onlyafew healthy colonies inhabitingthe steppe food chainthey becameprotected. There the lastdecades.Duetotheircentral role inthe population was decimatedby landusechangein as pestsinHungaryafew decadesago,buttheir in hibernationfrom AugusttoMarch. nest where theground squirrel spendsthewinter deepest point ofthesystem isthegrass-layered posited andflattenedattheinclinedentrance. The several horizontal entrances, andalldugsoil isde- ators. Theburrow system hasoneinclined and serves asahidingplace from itsnumerous pred- a personalunderground burrow system which live inloosecolonies, eachground squirrel digs also consume insectsoreggs.Even thoughthey mammals feeding onplants, butoccasionally they tures. Ground squirrels are diurnal(day-active) small rodent inhabitingopengrasslandsandpas nature conservation value attachedyet. (Spermophilus citellus) The European ground squirrel isakey species in Ground squirrels were numerous andregarded The European ground squirrel isapale-brown ground squirrel

- ground squirrel population Genetic diversity of the Extending ourknowledge recent decades. indicating previous bottleneck events in diversity andsomelevel ofinbreeding, size, mostcolonies have alow genetic guished. Independently ofactualcolony regional sub-populationscanbedistin- ic segregation by the main rivers, three habitats. Nevertheless, duetogeograph- gene-flow causedby fragmentation of es among the localities due to reduced as there are only slight genetic differenc formed ameta-population until recently, revealed thatlocalcolonies could have cies. Further population genetic analysis long to the northern lineage of the spe- indicated thatourground squirrels be- sin. Phylogenetic analysis ofthesamples ing different partsoftheCarpathianBa- sample oftheground squirrels inhabit this project, thushave arepresentative samples from alllarge colonies during was not known. We collected genetic tailed genetic statusoftheirpopulation for several decadesinHungary, thede- squirrel colonies have beenattempted ristics ofTransdanubia (red), theDanube-Tisza interfluve (yellow) and In thepiecharts,proportion ofindividualswithgenetic characte- Result ofgeneticsurveys Transztisza (blue) canbeseeninthe examined flocks. Even though repatriation of ground

- - 9 10 The target species and activities to conserve them population Recent trends intheground squirrel to stopandreverse thesetrends. proved conservation efforts are necessary cause ofcolony disappearance, andim- the abandonment ofgrazing,was themain matic decrease. Landusechange,especially tected duetotherecognition ofsuchdra- in thelastcentury andlatertostrictlypro- being considered aspesttobeingprotected the European ground squirrel changedfrom at theHortobágy. Conservation statusof colony densities also decreased, especially bution area was shrinking,butrecently the At thebeginningofperiod,distri- land grasslands in Pest and Békés counties. crease was laterdocumented atthelow mountain slopegrasslands,butsevere de- observed paralleltotheabandonment of in the trends, too. The earliest change was contributed. There are regional differences 2014, towhichourproject might alsohave then. There seemstobeastabilizationfrom decrease before 1995,butincreased since decrease was not even, there was a gradual sist more than1000individuals.Population colonies stillexist, andonly10ofthemcon- present survey indicatesthatatleast177 tenth ofthesewere especiallylarge. The in thelastfiftyyears, even thoughone- that two-third ofthecolonies disappeared wide array ofsources. Historicaldatashow cent occurrence ofground squirrels from a We collected allavailable dataonthere-

-  ExistingEuropean ground squirrel colonies Spread oftheEuropean ground squirrel ♦ TheEuropean ground squirrel colonies disappeared inthelast50years

Habitat useof ground squirrels Stress factors for ground squirrels underground nest chamber. status, thenthey spendthenext 7months inan movement -tochangefrom active tohibernated about 5 days - during which there is gradually less rows dugatlocalelevations inAugust.Ittakes before decidingonfinalsettlement. found. Animals may travel between theseburrows appropriate patches,sometimes 200mapart,are secondary oreven tertiaryburrows whenmore rows inthefirstdays afterrelease andmay dig in several stages.They establishtemporalbur during thenight. burrows andsleepingaboveground alsooccurred mer heatforced theanimalstogodeeper while rain suppressed the surface activity. Sum- long underground resting boutsinsunny days, tribution ofactivitiesinterrupted by 20minute affected by theweather, there was aneven dis hours above ground. Activity patternwas strongly period, theseanimalsspent amaximumofthree was monitored atthree locations.Intheiractive dation duringtherest oftheyear. breeding butstillprovide protection againstpre- would onlyduringthebreeding seasontoimprove man disturbance, theoptimal humanpresence and decreased breeding capacity. To reduce hu- consequences suchasreduced immunestatus increase life spanbutalsohasdisadvantageous squirrels. Suchprotection againstpredation may they are, these areas provide sheltertoground their predators are more afraidofhumansthan ful ofhumansandcanreadily beapproached. As mals aggregated around suchplaces are lessfear choose places offrequent humanpresence. Ani- of avoiding humans,theground squirrels seemto stress hormone produced by theanimals. Instead are seeminglytolerant butthere isahighlevel of at touristareas, roads and barns,ground squirrels es. Inplaces offrequent humanpresence, suchas ground squirrel colonies andfound localdifferenc veyed theconditions andstress statusofmajor their altered behaviour andphysiology. We sur stressors, andstress incolonies isreflected in Local disturbances are generallyconsidered as rect humanimpactsaffecting ground squirrels. Ground squirrels starttheirhibernationinbur Repatriated animals occupy theirhomerange Habitat useofradiocollared ground squirrels There are large regional differences inthedi------Monitoring ofradio collared ground squirrels landuse populations inHungarybetween 1964-2016 Change inthenumberofground squirrel

11 12 The target species and activities to conserve them ground squirrelcolonies Establishment ofnewEuropean of groundsquirrels Captive breeding onies. Thesuccess oftheseactionscan ated the re-establishment of 18 new col- colonies orprotecting theexisting ones. preferable grazing,for establishing new fragmented areas withproper landuse, triation actions.We shouldstrive for less of the grasslands before the actual repa- ownership andthefuture maintenance itat requirements ofthespecies, and the status of the remaining colonies, the hab- remain empty withoutintervention. timal butisolatedhabitatpatcheswould from neighbouringareas. Thus,even op - not allowing for naturalrecolonization occurs in fragmented and isolated areas recolonization, astheshortgrasssteppe tion isanecessary supplement tonatural occupied habitat patches.Ourinterven- to re-establish new colonies onformerly prove theremaining habitatsandthen two mainsteps,firsttoprotect andim- ing ground squirrel colonies involves of theinsituconservation efforts. a viableextension butisnot asubstitute long-term breeding programme, whichis able toestablishallnecessary steps of a recapturing themnextspring. We were term success willbeevaluated laterby by thelaboratorybreeding. Theirlong- thus theinitialsuccess was not impaired animals readily occupied thenew area, fore they were released tothewild.The mother then started to feed on plants be- offspring were successfully raisedby their were successfully bred incaptivity. The ulating naturalwinter conditions, then hibernated inourclimaticchambersim- from animals of the Dunántúl region. They established alaboratorybreeding stock species undercontrolled conditions. We conservation actionaimingatbreeding the rel colonies, we decided to start an ex situ in thestatusofHungarianground squir In frameoftheLIFEproject, we initi- We shouldalsoconsider thegenetic The active protection ofremain- As we experienced ageneraldecrease .

- conservation effort Integrated species species isuncertain. mally maintained areas, the future of the squirrel populationdensityeven inopti- leading toageneralreduction ofground ent factorsreducing thehabitatquality, breeds inthearea. Asthere are independ- the colony survives andsuccessfully only be evaluated after a few years, when of theairportsandconservation aims. practices supporting both regular functions and habitatmaintenance andendorse summarizes thecommon goalsofairport ments ofground squirrels. Thebooklet dations supporting the habitat require- let ongrasslandmaintenance recommen- grassy airports, we published a plain book European ground squirrel canbefound at ties ifapplicants adhere tothisprotocol. tions willonlybepermittedby theauthori- on thebestpractice. Future repatriation ac Ground Squirrel Repatriation Protocol, based new decisions,theBoard also approved the improve thehabitatoftarget species. ommendations onlanduseregulations to ed species.TheBoard alsosuggestsrec tion of national activities for both protect a yearly actionplanservingthecoordina- rel protection now evaluates andapproves Board for blindmoleratandground squir Agriculture. The newly established Expert Environmental Protection attheMinistryof sion-making process oftheDirectorate of sion oftheexpert board servingthedeci- TORSPREYLIFE project initiatedtheexten- diversified conservation actions. The RAP necessitated the national coordination of lation andtheincreasing publicinterest of theHungarianground squirrel popu- As someofthehealthiestcolonies of Integrating the previous experiences to The deteriorating conservation status

------13 14 The target species and activities to conserve them in theproject area in2017 Home range ofcommon hamster The HUF (~80EUR).Itisalsoprotected inRo - ry, withaconservation value of25000 eagle. Itisaprotected speciesinHunga- cat (Mustelaeversmanii) andtheimperial of rare species such as the steppe pole- it plays animportant role inthesurvival portant ecological role. As a prey animal, ly decreasing. Thehamster plays anim- the size oftheirpopulationsisconstant of modernized agriculturaltechniques, roadside verges andthewidespread use cultivated monoculture, theploughingof in Transdanubia. Due totheintensively in thewestern partoftheGreat Plainand even now. InHungary, itisespeciallyrare considered a dangerous agricultural pest its populationsdecliningeverywhere, itis they even enter settlements. Despiteof inhabit orchards, roadside verges, and land. Besidesarableland,hamstersalso almost exclusively occurs in agricultural to switch habitats,sothatcurrently, it ing themassive habitatloss,itwas able ster was agrasslandspecies,butfollow solitary life. Originally, thecommon ham- seemingly live colonially, hamsters leada underground chambers.Whilethey are able tostore large quantities offood inits with vertical sections. For winter, it is row consists ofalongtunnelsystem, burrow afterdusk.Itsunderground bur observed, asitmainlyemerges from its half akilogram.Thehamsterisrarely is fairlylarge, itsbodymasscanreach yellow facialstripesandblackbelly. It an Basin,withitsrufous back,whiteand most colourful rodents oftheCarpathi- mania, withavalue of100EUR. common (Cricetus cricetus) The common hamsterisoneofthe hamster

- - - Establishing newhamsterpopulation in HungaryandRomania Status ofthehamster result, thehamsterre-appeared inthenearby ulations, whichare regulated by predators. Asa tors. Ourgoalwas tocreate new hamsterpop - and whichcanalsobecome accessible topreda- were created where protection could beinsured, fore, by capturing urbanhamstersnew colonies be available for theprotected predators. There- transfer togardens, thehamsterwillnolonger able land,andifthemajorityofpopulations the sametime,hamstersare getting rarer inar has reached anunprecedented magnitude.At came clearthatinasmallregion ofHungary, this ulated areas, butincourse oftheproject itbe- tively slow, butgeneraldeclineinRomania. species’ habitats,whichprobably causesarela- This leads to a significant deterioration of the mon practices inallplainareas ofthecountry. ploughing ofroadside verges are, however, com - farming, theincreased useofchemicalsandthe Plain. However, theproliferation oflarge-scale tain areas of Transylvania, and the Romanian still present inBanatandCrișana regions, cer counties. InRomania, significant populationsare places in Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok andCsongrád in Békés County, andcanbefound inseveral Despite thenegative trend, itisstillcommon cept Tolna, Pest andHeves, where itisstagnant. populations declinedinalmostevery county, ex position analyses ofbirds ofprey. Thehamster of Hungary, andthisissupportedby food com- hamster populationsishappeninginmostparts to theresults ofthesurvey, ageneraldeclineof tion mapofthespecieswas prepared. According framework oftheproject, thecurrent distribu- As a result of complex data collection within the last occurred inHungaryattheendof1990s. outbreaks. Suchanoutbreak onnationallevel reflected intheregression ofcyclical population populations hasbeendocumented, whichisalso Since the1970s,agradualdeclineinhamster damage toagriculture occurs onlyoccasionally. treated asanagriculturalpest,althoughits breeding imperialeagles`diet. Formerly, somehamstersoccurred in pop- In Hungary, thecommon hamsterisstill

- - - 15 16 The target species and activities to conserve them Occurrence ofHungarianbirch mouse in 2017 in Hungary Status oftheHungarianbirchmouse also inRomania, butitsvalue isnot quantified. servation value is1millionHUF(~3100EUR);protected an birch mouseisstrictlyprotected inHungary, itscon- most significant naturalvalues of thecountry. Hungari- the rarest vertebrate speciesofHungaryandonethe but itsdistributiondecreased drastically. Nowadays itis grasslands andpastures intheGreat HungarianPlain, stems, andflowers. Once itwas awidespread speciesof arachnids, aswell asseeds,fruit,bulbs,rhizomes, leaves, nia. Birch mice are omnivorous, consuming insects and years in2006,andafter112years in2012Transylva- localities. The first live specimen was trapped after 70 was detected onlyfrom owl-pellets, butatlessand Transylvanian birch mouse (Sicistatrizona). Until 2006,it however itisconsidered asaseparatesubspecies:the tion Area. Another populationisknown inTransylvania, a singlesite,theBorsodi-Mezőség LandscapeProtec found onlyinHungary, anditsoccurrence isrestricted to exclusively intheCarpathianBasin.Nowadays itcanbe rodent withrelatively long,semi-prehensile tailoccurs to sixpatchesand104ha duetointensive surveys. were known intheBorsodiMezőség whichincreased Only three birch mouse habitatpatchescovering 68ha on mappingtheexact distributionduringtheproject. toring populationsize, we also putgreat emphasis slight increase was observed. Inaddition tomoni- mowing. Asaresult, thedeclinestoppedandeven a was carriedoutinthehabitatsinsteadofmechanical project, extensive grasslandmanagement by grazing agement. By therecommendations madeduringthe decreased drasticallyduetoinadequatehabitatman- In thebeginningofproject, thepopulationsize Hungarian birch mouseisonthebrinkofextinction. The Hungarianbirch mouseisasmall,mouse-like While itsubsistedonlyinasinglelocation,the

Hungarian (Sicista trizona) birch mouse

- rat inHungary Conserving theVojvodina blindmole and populatetheavailable 130hectare sandsteppe. will hopefullystarttosignificantly grow inthenearfuture chased for theproject. Thecurrent small new population translocated to an area near Öttömös which was pur individuals were saved from theKelebia populationand population was establishednearby. Directly threatened clining Kelebia population, in frame of our project, a new ered in2017.Inorder toprotect thedecreasing andde- population nearAlbertirsa,justonlyhave beendiscov of ourproject) became protected in2017.Thethird, small found nearBaja, which(thankstotheresults andefforts for survival. Thelargest populationofthespeciescanbe tion was found nearKelebia in2008withpooroutlook tions inHungary. Itsisolatedandfragmented popula- 1 millionHUF(~3100EUR). a strictlyprotected speciesinHungaryandisvalued at decades withoutactive helpofnature conservation. Itis dangered Vojvodina blind moleratcango extinct within and thenumerous threatening factors,thecriticallyen- thousand individuals.Duetothelow populationnumber lations remained andthetotal populationare below one in theVojvodina stateofSerbia.Onlyfour known popu- rat, whichcanbefound onlyintheterritory ofHungaryand an basin.OneofthesespeciesistheVojvodina blindmole cally indistinguishable,endemicspeciesintheCarpathi- borrows withtheirlarge incisors. greyish and surprisingly soft. Blind mole rats are digging no external earandare completely blind.Theirfur is long cylindricallyshapedbody, shortlegs,vestigial tail, surface. Thisresulted inspecialmorphology;they have tire life underground withouttheneedtocome tothe mammals oftheCarpathianbasin.They spendtheiren- Vojvodina blindmolerathasthree known popula - They have five, genetically distinctbutmorphologi- Blind moleratsare probably bethemostpeculiar

(Nannospalax montanosyrmiensis)

- - V

o jvodina Hungary in2017 Occurrence ofVojvodina blindmolerat in blind mole rat

17 18 The target species and activities to conserve them in theproject area in2017 Home range ofEuropean hare Changes ofEuropean hare’s population its populationcanalsohave anegative im- ern imperialeagle,therefore thedeclineof mals, includingthestrictlyprotected east an important prey for many predatory ani- effects ofintensive agriculture. Thehare is it isexplained by thevulnerablenegative cause of this is not well known, most often be observed inHungaryandRomania. The over thepastdecades.This trend canalso population have shown asignificant decline importance ingamehunting ishigh,butits agement both inHungaryandRomania. Its tant mammalspeciesofsmallgameman- plants duringthewinter. be found initsdiet, includingpartofwoody time resting place. Alledibleplant partscan can even bealongdistance from itsday to the conditions of the countryside, which during thenight. Itsfeeding place isadapted agricultural areas alike. Itisprimarilyactive in various habitats, forests, pastures and ritories oftheGreat Plain.Itcanbefound it is also widespread in the Romanian ter in the Great and LittleHungarianPlain, but ing eyes. InHungary, itcanmainlybefound black tipped ears and large sideways look ish coloured herbivorous mammal,withlong pact onourendangered naturalvalues. The The European hare isthemostimpor The European hare isagreyish-brown- ( L European epus europaeus) hare

- - - - - European hareinHungary The statusofthe populations. to reduce thehighlyproliferated furbearer Through encouraging hunters, we aimed and toencourage farmerstodothesame. and maintain thehabitatsofspecies, active interventions. We strived torestore improve thestatusofspeciesthrough jackal). Incourse oftheproject, we triedto population offurbearers (fox, badger, and ditions, andthecontinuous growth ofthe the more frequent extreme weather con- species, over-exploitation (over-hunting), cline ordeterioration ofthehabitats most important beingthecontinuous de- have been identified by various experts, the ings. Several possible causes of the decline during theproject alsosupportthesefind- nately, thesurveys and observations made is likely tocontinue inthefuture. Unfortu- deteriorating since the1970sandtrend ble data,thestatusofspecieshasbeen short andlongterm.Basedontheavaila- the European hare decreases both inthe pany onanimalroad kill,thepopulationof and theState Highway Management Com- Game Management Databaseonhunting According tothedataofNational

19 20 Preservation and restoration of habitats state ofhabitats Restoring thenatural purchased landthathave beenirregularly mowing. Inframeoftheproject, we have through regular grazing andcleaning ropean ground squirrel were achieved lands, the habitats suitable for the Eu - mammals away. Intheenclosedgrass fur bearers, thepredators ofthesesmall the habitats.Fences alsohelpedtokeep venting the further weed infestation of regularly digginguppastures, thuspre- we have prevented thewildboarfrom steppe mammals.By setting upfences, can once againbehometoourprecious state ofdegradedhabitats,sothatthey the project, we have restored the natural of naturalgrasslands.Inthecourse of deteriorates, itcanleadtothereduction ple intheabsence ofproper management proper management ofgrasslands. mals, thus ensuring the preservation and for the conservation of endangered mam- acres of priority habitats were purchased of KiskunságandNagykunság,nearly135 fore, inframeoftheproject, inthearea conservation asset management. There- area, thiscanbeassured through nature zation. Inadditiontotheprotection ofan tained during their management and utili- that nature conservation interests are sus Land purchase If thecondition ofahabitatfor exam- For somehabitats,itisvery important

- - restoration Preservation of habitats and

of naturalhabitats Ensuring connectivity ground squirrel andblindmole-rat. habitat, makingitsuitableagainfor theEuropean area began,whichenabledtheregeneration ofthe silver berryfrom thearea, regular grazingofthe squirrel andblindmole-rat.After removing the itat becameunsuitablefor theEuropean ground pressing naturalgrasslands.Asaresult, thehab- species, suchasthesilver berry, thereby sup- the spread ofinvasive, intensively spreading tree sometimes absent for years. Thiscontributed to utilized inrecent decades,andwhere grazingwas as partofthegreening program inthefuture. the program willbeabletomaintain thesestrips small gamepopulation.Farmers participatingin be mademore diverse, supportingthevaluable farmers how easily theseagricultural habitats can lated hamster population. It was demonstrated to we were able to facilitate the survival of some iso- ropean hare. By developing thesegreen corridors, tural environment, suchas thehamsterandEu- habitats for smallmammalslivingintheagricul- the lackofagriculturalactivitythey alsoprovided tween theremaining habitatpatches,butdueto Not onlydidthey provide connecting corridors be- created partlyinandbetween Natura2000sites. encourage farmerstodothesame. dominated by large agriculturallandandtriedto plants of the legume, pea, or bean family in areas etation stripsconsisting ofgrassandflowering prey of raptors. To stop this trend, we created veg appearance ofsmallmammals,andassuchthe verges, tree linesandearthholesleadtothedis shelter. Disappearinghabitatpatches,roadside mammals find less and less suitable habitats and These green corridors orsteppingstoneswere In landscapesdominatedby agriculturalland,

- - 21 European ground squirrel enclosures The scope of this project included building three Europe- an ground squirrel enclosure across Hungary for the general public to be able to get a closer look at and learn about the characteristics of these delightful small mammals. One location was at the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden where animals can be viewed directly from the captive breeding establishment. Another exhibition was established in Túrkeve, at the Fekete István Education Centre run by the Nimfea Con- servation Society, where visitors can observe the species in Public Relations an open-air environment. The Lavender house in Tihany is home to the third observation area where visitors can gain insight into the lives of these little rodents through a touch screen system set up at the visitor centre. The images cap- ture a Souslik colony near the Belső-tó, which is under video The everyday life surveillance enabling the visitor to see the natural behaviour of a saker falcon family of this species. Thus, through the project we are not only able

Funding from the project allowed us, and to provide the public with images of the species in the wild, to the general public, to be able to observe the provide information on all the small mammal species involved everyday lives of a saker falcon family nest- in this project through interactive screens and pamphlets at ing in a nest box atop a hydro pole. 24/7 each location. coverage was provided on the homepage of International scientific conference the project and on the MAVIR website, which proved to be a great success. Hundreds of The results obtained during the course of the project were thousands of people from 140 countries published to our peers as well. The conference was co-organ- showed interest by logging on and viewing ized by our LIFE+ team and hosted over one hundred partic- the falcon family. Many people raised their ipants from 13 countries at the Hungarian Natural History Museum. The international European Ground Squirrel Meet- R elations concerns when the pair had a failed brood, but were exceptionally delighted when ing was combined with the Subterranean Mammal Workshop chicks were hatched successfully. The in 2018. Scientific research and practical knowledge was chicks were named by the general public shared amongst the participants within the community over and the name givers were able to attend the course of a 5-day event. when chicks were eventually ringed. Further information regarding the results of the project can

P ublic Mammal of the Year be found in our pamphlets available at the Hungarian National Parks, our website (www.sakerlife3.mme.hu) or through the Since 2014, in frame of the “Vadon- documentary video showing our work (http://sakerlife3.mme. leső Program” (www.vadonleso.hu) a hu/hu/content/letoltes). “Mammal of the Year” is chosen each year. The goal of this initiative is to promote a native Hungarian mammal species in the given calendar year and plan scientific and conservation programs pertaining to it. In the past couple of years, two species involved in our projects have been chosen as the Mammal of the Year. In 2015, the European ground squirrel and in 2018 the blind mole-rat was chosen. During this time, we took part in countless events and programs including the 2-day annual Souslik and Blind mole-rat Gala organized by the Hungarian Natural History Museum.

22 23 24 Results Obtained mammals inourgrasslands small mammalpopulations Deceleration inthedeclineofgrassland the project, theirnumbers were ontherise. garian birch mousepopulation, infact,by theendof that there was acessation inthedecrease oftheHun- of grasslandmanagement strategies, itwas evident tablish new colonies inregions lackingthesespecies. stable populationsinNationalParks were used toes to thespeciesinquestion.Furthermore, animalsfrom degraded habitatsandthecriticalattention they paid small mammalspeciesinourproject, rehabilitation of taining and protecting the grasslands inhabited by the by thestaffof theHungarian National Parks in main- partly beattributedtotheexceedingly hard work done squirrel populationsinHungary. Thisachievement can a slow down inthedeclineofEuropean ground the studiedspecies. saker falcon andimperialeagleonthepopulationsof taining ecological balance, aswell astheimpactof proper management ofgrasslandsplays inthesus we have establishedjusthow important arole the threaten thesurvival ofthese colonies. Furthermore, their dynamics change over time and the factors that information aboutthenumberofpopulations,how sive dataaboutthedistributionofspecies,precise tion efforts ofthesespecies.We have acquired exten- mouse, whichwe hopewillaidthefurtherconserva- blind mole-rat,thehamsterandHungarianbirch formation abouttheEuropean ground squirrel, the we were abletoobtain a considerable amount of in- Increased knowledgeaboutsmall Following theconstruction andimplementation Since the initiationoftheproject we have seen Through fieldwork doneinframeoftheproject, - - Results Obtained Public education The basisfor futureconservation work the Europeangroundsquirrel Initiation ofacaptive breedingpopulationof hunting communities inorder tomaintain agoodrelationship and stay inconstant contact withmembersofthefarming and to thepublic.Furthermore, initiative was taken tocollaborate of ourproject topromote thespeciesinvolved intheproject special events have beenusedsuccessfully over thecourse ports, andthe“MammalofYear” program, inadditionto books, souvenirs, a documentary film, radio and television re- cies, planstranslocationsandthecreation ofnew habitats. conservation, whichcoordinates activitiesinvolving thespe- translocations. A working group was established for Souslik ways, animalwelfare oftheEuropean ground squirrels andfor plemented for habitatmanagement, airportswithgrassrun- materials, guidelinesandactionplans.Guidelineswere im- pile thescientific information we obtained into professional Hanság NationalPark. subsequently used to establish a new colony in the Fertő- species continues. The first captive-born individuals were as a tool in the future as the battle for the survival of the established. We hopethatthisachievement canbeused population ofEuropean ground squirrel was successfully order toavoid declineinthepopulationofthesespecies.. at thetimeofapplicationfor changesinagriculturalfunding Furthermore, management ofgrasslandsmustbeprioritised be continued andeven doneonalarger scaleinthecountry. ject, we can establish that theactions in thisprogram should extraordinary species. in Hungary, aswell asestablishment ofanew colony ofthis number ofVojvodina blindmole-rat in theknown populations Handouts, posters, online tools, storybooks, colouring Through thework oftheproject, itwas possible tocom- During thecourse ofthisproject, acaptive breeding In light ofourpositive experiences throughout thispro- Over thecourse oftheproject, anincrease was seeninthe and allow themtoembrace theconservation of thesegrasslandsmall mammals. 25 The data of the project Acknowledgements

The data of the RAPTORSPREYLIFE project: Raptorspreylife project team External contributors Title: “Securing prey sources for endangered Falco cherrug and Aquila heliaca population in

j ect • FHNPD: Viktória Bene, Attila Fersch, Zsuzsa • FENCON Consulting Ltd.: József Fidlóczky the Carpathian basin” ID: LIFE13 NAT/HU/000183. Period: 01.07.2014 – 31.12.2018 Fidlóczky, Péter Kugler, Attila Németh, Mik- • Hortobágyi national Park Directorate: Budget: lós Váczi Csaba Bereczki, Orsolya Moldován, Total budget: 2.894.178 €, • BfNPD: András Mészáros, Lajos Nagy, Ka- László Szél, Gyula Szabó Financed by the European Union: 2.170.606 €, (75%) talin Páli, Pál Simon, József Vers pro • Hungarian Natural History Museum: Co-financed by the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture: 194.208 € (6,7%) • BEKE: Tamás Cserkész, Csaba Kiss, Gábor Csorba, Tamás Görföl Co-financed by the beneficiaries: 529.364 € (18,3%) Tamás Kondor • MTA-DE „Lendület” Evolutioanary Phylog- Coordinating beneficiary: • FÁNK: Endre Sós, Viktória Sós-Koroknai, enomics Reasarch Group: Judit Bereczki, Levente Laczkó, Gábor Sramkó the • Fertő Hanság National Park Directorate (FHNPD), Magyarország Gábor Szelényi • EPA SM: Zoltán Balog, Angela Bota, Tihamér • NatFilm Hungary Ltd.: Erika Bagladi, Associated beneficiaries: Fülöp, Levente Koczán, Mihaela Preda Szabolcs Mosonyi

of • Bükk Mammalogical Society (BEKE), Hungary • KNPI: Bakos Katinka, Csóka Annamária, • Rónaőrző Society: Miklós Dudás, Attila • Balaton-felvidéki National Park Directorate (BfNPD), Hungary Forgó Melinda, Krnács György, Szöllősi Molnár, István Gyarmathy, Gergely Kordás • Budapest Zoo & Botanical garden (FÁNK), Hungary Szabolcs, Tamás Ádám, Vajda Zoltán • Ministry of Agriculture: Botond Bakó, • Kaposvári University (KAPOSVÁR), Hungary • Kaposvári University: Vilmos Altbäcker, Olivér Váczi • Kiskunság National Park Directorate (KNPD), Hungary Sándor Csete, Dávid Czabán, • Other collaborators: Sándor Boldogh, data András István Csathó, Laura Godó, • Madárvilág Nonprofit Ltd. (MADÁRVILÁG), Hungary Edit Elblinger, Zsófia Nagy Mátyás Nándor Seres, Antal Széll, • Hungarian Transmission System Operator Company Ltd (MAVIR), Hungary • Madárvilág Nonprofit Kft.: Prommer, Barna Tarján Tamás Szitta, Zsófia Vig • BirdLife Hungary (MME), Hungary

T he • MAVIR: György Bíró • Association „Milvus Group” (MILVUS), Romania • Milvus: Zsuzsanna Aczél-Fridrich, Project monitoring • Nimfea Environment and Nature Conservation Association (Nimfea), Hungary Orsolya Barabás, Zsolt Hegyeli, • NEEMO EEIG: András Kovács • Őrség National Park Directorate (ÖNPD), Hungary Attila Marton, Szilárd Sugár • European Comission, DG Environment: • Environmental Protection Agency of Satu Mare County (EPA SM), Romania • MME: János Bagyura, Katalin Bodnár, László Bécsy For further information, read the downloadable documents of the project at Gabriella Göcző, Márton Horváth, Zsuzsa http://sakerlife3.mme.hu/en Magyar, András Zsohovszky, Gábor Kovács Or watch our project film at the website: http://sakerlife3.mme.hu/hu/content/letoltes • Nimfea: Attila Bacskai, Tamás Barna, Géza Molnár, R. Benedek Sallai • ŐNPD: Krisztián Harsányi, István Szentirmai

26 http://sakerlife3.mme.hu/en