Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus: news from Bulgaria

by James Steephenson
Program Manager
Green Balkans
Bulgaria

Vsyaka godina, s otkrivaneto na lovnia sezon znachitelno se povishava broya na postapilite pacienti na CRRRV, postradali ot brakonierska strelba.

Porednia takav sluchay e ot 4.11.2004 g, kogato sas sadeystvieto na kolegi ot BOC v Centara postapi blatna sova (|Asio flammeus|) sas sachmi v tyaloto i mnozhestvo frakturi. Za sazhalenie, vapreki usiliyata na veterinarnite specialisti, pticata veroyatno nyama da e sposobna za zhivot v divata priroda i shte ostane sred stacionarnite pacienti na Centara. Po tozi nachin oshte edin individ ot ryadak vid shte bade "zaguben" za divata priroda.

On November 4, 2004, an injured Short-eared owl (Asio Flammeus)was found near Sofia (Bulgaria’s capital)and was delivered by Bulgarian Ornithological Society to the Green Balkans Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Stara Zagora, South-Central Bulgaria. After examinations and x-rays, veterinarians determined that the owl had been shot because of the multiple shotgun pellets within the body. One pellet caused multiple fractures in the owl’s left wing. Specifically the ulna and radius were fractured. The other pellet has yet to cause a serious problem, however it is still early. We have splinted the wing and continue to monitor the owl on a regular basis.

The WRBC is one of the priorities of Green Balkans Nature Federation of Nature Conservation NGO’s focusing on the treatment, rehabilitation, and breeding of injured or distressed rare fauna species, focusing on avian species. To accomplish these goals and protect the fragile web of life in the Balkans, the first and only wildlife center in Bulgaria was established in 1993. Since Bulgaria has some of the richest biological diversity in all of Europe and lies on the migration route of hundreds of bird species, we often treat threatened or endangered species of European or global significance. After 10 years of operation, we are very proud of our achievements in the field of wildlife rehabilitation over the years especially considering the dire economic situation that has faced Bulgaria over the past decade.

In the years before the center, ecologists saw a great need for such facilities as the animals were often left in the hands of caring but untrained individuals. Thus in 1995 a specialized clinic was created– a center where animals in distress could be treated by qualified medical persons and after their rehabilitation be released into the wild again.
Due to community need, the facilities for the center were graciously donated by the Secondary Vocational School of Veterinary Medicine (clear area of 7,7ha and buildings of 250 square metres) and because of the incredible enthusiasm of Green Balkans members – mainly students in Veterinary Medicine – the Wildlife Rehabilitation and Breeding Centre for Rare species began operation in the fall of 1995 and set forth to accomplish the following goals:

· Establish a nationwide system for the collection of distressed birds.
· Treatment, rehabilitation and follow-up release into the wild
· Breed disabled animals who reside permanently at the center and release their off-spring into the wild to offset dwindling populations due to human causes
· Implement programmes for breeding and reintroduction of rare birds, such as Bearded and Black vultures, Imperial eagle and the Lesser kestrel.
· Affect change in the mindset and actions of young people and those that are close to nature, such as hunters, fishermen, foresters and farmers.

While taking these first steps into something new for the nature conservation and veterinary community in Bulgaria, we faced many initial difficulties but due to the incredible enthusiasm of the numerous (more than 100) Green Balkans volunteers and to the financial aid of the Regional Environmental Centre-Bulgaria, we managed to build and equip a proper facility together with cages for the animals. During these difficult first years, our next task was to build a highly qualified staff on par with international standards. For this end, a team of the organization attended a course in a similar center for the breeding of the Bearded vulture at WWF-Austria. To assist the staff, we also built up a network of volunteer assistants throughout the country with a series of training seminars - so far we have people that assist us in 30 towns in Bulgaria. In addition in those initial years, we established a good relationship with the Institute of Veterinary Medicine and have signed contracts for treating our patients in its clinics for surgery, internal infectious diseases, parasitology and pathoanatomy. Sources around the world supplied with specialized literature for wildlife rehabilitation that was unavailable in Bulgaria before. During the following two years once the REC project was completed, WRBC survived on entirely internal Green Balkans resources and thanks to the numerous donations for the local community; most importantly food for animals.

Since that time, the WRBC has become internationally recognized for its achievements and in 2001 the Centre initiated the Balkan network of similar rehabilitation centers with the Hellenic Wildlife Hospital in Aegina. This partnership has served to increase our organizational and institutional capacity, as well as our contacts with similar centers in the region. In the past year the number of incoming patients has increased to 5-6 animals in a week, mostly birds. The quality of the staff has improved dramatically in recent years as more and more animals receive successful treatment and are being released into the wild; 60% of them are successfully treated, and 36% are successfully released into the wild. Many are threatened or red book species of global and European importance :such as Imperial eagles, Dalmatian pelicans, hawks, vultures, swans and geese, Pygmy cormorants and herons and survival of individuals can have an impact on the survival of a species. More than 500 animals in distress have been accepted in the WRBC, of which 150 have been successfully released into the wild. In the past years alone we had received three Imperial eagles, two Dalmatian and one White pelicans, one Griffon Vulture, two Short-toed eagles and many others of more common species.

To continue our training as wildlife rehabilitators, in the beginning of year 2001, a team of Green alkans attended a training seminar, organized by the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (IWRC) in Athens.

During year 2001 we continued improving our network of volunteer assistants throughout the whole country. We signed contracts for cooperation and animal exchange with some Zoos in Sofia, Stara Zagora and Varna. We established working relationships with the regional departments of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests and the Ministry of Environment and Waters as the flow of wounded and confiscated animals increased. In August 2001, we became an IWRC member. The experience we have gained over the years allowed us to start the implementation of the most difficult goal we had set with the establishment of the Centre - breeding of raptor birds. We already have had success in breeding Eagle owls and Long-legged buzzards. The success gave us the confidence to start a breeding program in cooperation with the Hellenic Wildlife Hospital, the Lesser kestrel. This bird species used to be one of the most common inhabitants of the Bulgarian ornithofauna but sadly no longer breeds within Bulgaria. In spring, 2005, we are expecting to receive the first part of 10 birds from Greece and we hope that in four years we will be able to release the first birds into the wild. Very recently we started another program - the reintroduction of the Bearded vulture with the cooperation of the Society for the Conservation of the Black Vulture. This species is designated the symbol of Bulgarian nature conservation and its silhouette is placed on each sign designating a protected area in Bulgaria. Unfortunately, this symbol has been extinct in Bulgaria and Balkan nature since the 70s. One of the priority goals not only for the WRBC but for Green Balkans, too, is the revival of the Bearded vulture for nature conservation as well as symbolic purposes. On a national level, we initiated the development of a National Plan and a Strategy for the reintroduction of the Bearded vulture in Bulgaria

The activities of the WRBC have been noticed by a number of European institutions and nature conservation organizations. A joint project of the Ministry of Environment and Waters and the EU started in September 2001. This project involves the implementation of the commitment of Bulgaria to the CITES Convention, and in particular, the establishment of Rescue Centres. We are very proud that the European Mission, managing the project, chose our centre to fulfill the commitment of the country to the EC.

We are also very proud that Green Balkans is involved in environmental education so that our knowledge can be passed on through future generations. We have begun a raptor education program in cooperation with several local schools. This project involves a 10 lesson course followed by a trip to our center as a visit to the school by our raptors.

Despite of the numerous successes we have achieved, we are facing a great number of challenges and they are related to the growing popularity of the WRBC and the parallel increase of patients. We have a dire need for the modernization and renovation of our facilities but believe we will overcome these difficulties like those hurdles we have overcome in the past.

Contact persons:
Ivaylo Klisurov - WRBC Manager
GREEN BALKANS - STARA ZAGORA
76 Tsar Ivan Shishman Str.
Stara Zagora 6000, Bulgaria
Tel: (+359 48) 794031 (mobile)
Tel: (+359 42) 22 401 (office)
Tel: (+359 42) 54 071 (WRBC)
Mail adress
Web site

Ivelin Ivanov - Director of Conservation
GREEN BALKANS BULGARIA
Nature - Conservation Federation
160 Shesty Septemvry Blvd.
Plovdiv 4000 , Bulgaria
Tel: ( +359 32) 626 977
Fax: ( +359 32) 264 516
Mail adress
Web site

Existing facilities at WRBC:
1. Warm premises
2. Outside aviaries
3. Orchard