Thanks to the LIFE+ Cantabrian Capercaillie programme, coordinated by the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and the Environment, 3 female specimens of this subspecies have been released in the Picos de Europa Regional Park in Castilla y León and SPA Picos de Europa in Castilla y León, which were born at the end of June and beginning of July in the breeding centre of Sobrescobio (Principality of Asturias) of Asturias).

The capercaillie have remained in the pre-release park for 8 days, after which, and after checking the correct acclimatization of the specimens, the gates of the park have been opened so that the specimens can leave it on their own initiative and in a calm and progressive way. All capture, transfer and release work has been carried out with the utmost caution, following the protocols established for these actions, generating the least possible stress to the specimens. After capture at the breeding centre, the specimens have been tagged with radio transmitters, in order to identify them, monitor them and assess the success of the reinforcement programme.

The breeding process of the 3 specimens has been complex and very careful, trying to get individuals capable of adapting to life in freedom. In this sense, the handling and discomfort that could be caused to the birds during the breeding period has been reduced as much as possible, reducing eye contact with the keepers as much as possible to avoid atypical behaviour in front of people. In addition, they have been provided with an adequate natural diet.

The captive breeding and strengthening programmes for the Cantabrian capercaillie are pilot actions in the conservation of this subspecies, and are based on previous experiences carried out in other European countries with other subspecies of capercaillie or other galliformes. The success of captive breeding depends on numerous factors such as the results of the capture, marking and removal of clutch programmes, the productivity of the breeding females in the breeding centre, as well as the difficulties inherent in the captive breeding process.

Despite the complexity of the breeding programme, the LIFE+ Cantabrian Capercaillie project is committed to strengthening populations from captive specimens to try to help stop the decline of this endangered subspecies and as a complementary measure to the attacks on the ground. Specifically, in the Cantabrian Mountains, the low density of the areas that currently maintain capercaillie specimens, and their low productivity, make it extremely difficult for isolated populations to recover from natural source nuclei.

The project, coordinated by the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and the Environment, is 50% co-financed through the LIFE+ programme, the European Union’s financial instrument for the environment, and has as partners the Autonomous Communities of Cantabria, the Principality of Asturias and Castilla y León, the latter through the Natural Heritage Foundation of Castilla y León; the Interregional Consortium for the Coordinated Management of the Picos de Europa National Park; Tragsa and Tragsatec; SEO/BirdLife and with funding from the Autonomous National Parks Agency and the Iberdrola Foundation.

Video of the transfer of the three specimens to the Picos de Europa Regional Park.