The three female Cantabrian capercaillie that were released on October 3 in the Picos de Europa Regional Park in Castilla y León, continue with a correct adaptation to the natural environment after their release. After proceeding to open the gates of the pre-release park, the three female capercaillie came down from the beech branches where they had spent the night and began their usual movements through the park feeding on the available resources and in a calm way they left the enclosure practically all three at the same time.

The environmental agents of the Junta de Castilla y León, in charge of monitoring the specimens, accompanied by veterinary personnel from the Principality of Asturias and the Fundación Patrimonio Natura de Castilla y León visually verified the exit of the three female capercaillies from a hide built for this purpose, later making sure that the females had left the area and through the receiver that allows locating the signal coming from the Collar emitters of the three individuals.

After the capercaillie left, they took the opportunity to inspect the park and check the use they had made of the resources available in it during their stay and permanently close the doors to prevent the capercaillie from re-entering. The ingestion of beech, willow, blueberry, amber, amber and elderberry leaves was observed, as well as the fruits of the latter two species, and especially the fruits of the wild rose bush.  The different perches were also observed and stool samples were taken for analysis. 

Thanks to the marking and radio-monitoring of the specimens, the environmental agents and guards of the Riaño Regional Hunting Reserve have been able to verify that the three females have remained in the area near the pre-release park for three days, at which time one of them has changed slope, separating from the other two. The data indicate that the adaptation to the natural environment is being very good, that the specimens are fed correctly and their behaviour is absolutely normal.

The LIFE+ Cantabrian Capercaillie, coordinated by the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and the Environment, has as its main objective to stop the decline of this subspecies exclusive to the Northwest of the Iberian Peninsula and promote its recovery. The project, 50% co-financed through the LIFE+ programme, the European Union’s financial instrument for the environment, 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.