27 Ural Owls in Northeast Bavaria: A success in species conservation!

27 Ural Owls in Northeast Bavaria: A success in species conservation!

Little miracles are hatching in the forests of northeast Bavaria: 27 young hawk owls recently ventured into the open air. This happy event was part of a comprehensive reintroduction project that has been underway since 2017. The Ural Owl, a stately bird, reaches a size of around 60 centimeters and is a real eye-catcher with a wingspan of 125 centimeters. This rare owl, which was considered extinct, can live in nature for up to 20 years. A fortunate circumstance is that the population in northeast Bavaria is continuously growing thanks to these measures, as the Frankenpost reports.

The 27 cubs are not the first to be released into the wild as part of this project. A total of 133 hawk owls have been released into the wild since 2017. The goal is a stable, genetically diverse population. These birds come from careful breeding in zoos and wildlife parks in France and Germany. The previous acclimatization took place in special aviaries, where they were able to live under controlled conditions for four weeks in order to get used to the natural conditions.

Adjustment and challenge

The young birds go through an important phase in which they have to prove themselves independently at the age of 100 to 120 days. Their survival rate in the wild is estimated at around 50 percent, with road traffic as the main risks, but also predators such as eagle owls and martens. In order to ensure reproductive success, an encouraging number of eleven additional young owls were released into the wild in 2020, and measures to improve habitat went hand in hand with the construction of 55 new incubators.

Landschaft-Artenschutz emphasizes that despite the challenges posed by the corona pandemic, national media continued to regularly report positively on the project. The application for GPS-GSM telemetry was also submitted in order to better understand the movements of the birds.

Reclaim an important piece of nature

According to National Geographic, a small population has established itself in the Bavarian Forest and is growing through targeted reintroduction measures. In 2024, 23 young birds were released into the wild, and the aim is not only to make the Ural Owls native to German forests, but also to connect their existing populations with one another. DNA tests before release are used to ensure genetic diversity.

Forest owners are actively involved in the project to spread knowledge about the importance of typical structural elements for the Ural owl. These measures not only promote the owl itself, but also the entire biodiversity in the forest, including mushrooms, plants, amphibians and many species of insects. With every Ural Owl that is flown out, another piece of nature is regained that was extinct in Germany around 100 years ago (1923).

In summary, the project can best be described with a positive outlook for the future. We are working with prudence and skill to bring a species back into the heart of our forests. An important step, not just for the Ural Owl, but for the entire ecosystem. And that is something to look forward to with joy.