PREVIEW

An osprey chick (Pandion haliaetus) is held in the hands of an animal welfare activist after being banded. An unusual workplace for bird conservation: On a high-voltage power pole owned by E.DIS AG, workers specializing in high-altitude operations carefully removed three young ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) from their nest. Volunteer bird bander Bernd Heuer was already waiting on the ground to tag the chicks for research purposes. After being banded, the young birds of prey were immediately and safely returned to their nest. Although populations in the lake regions of northeastern Germany have stabilized, this strictly protected species remains vulnerable. Experts therefore emphasize that consistent conservation programs and peace and quiet at the breeding site will continue to be crucial for the animals· survival in the future.