Knokke-Heist (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): Zwin Nature Park in Belgium hosts the country’s oldest stork colony. Researchers track storks with transmitters to study their migration, nesting habits and survival challenges, aiding conservation efforts.
The Zwin Nature Park in Belgium has the oldest stork colony in the country. They’ve been watching these storks closely to learn more about how they act and move around. Six years ago the park put small transmitters on some storks. These transmitters help track where the birds go without bothering how they normally behave. The information from these transmitters has given us useful details about the storks. For instance we can follow where they fly during migration, what they eat and where they like to build nests.It has been said that this helps us see how the storks live in their surroundings and adjust to any changes. The project has given us big help in saving storks and similar birds. By looking at the data scientists can make smart choices to keep the storks’ home safe and make it better so the old stork group stays healthy.
What challenges do young Storks face in survival and breeding?
Out of 22 storks with transmitters only 6 are still alive which is normal for stork groups. Faveyts says many young storks don’t make it because only the toughest ones survive early on. The transmitters help scientists see how storks cope in their early years giving useful informational on their struggles. Storks have a tough time growing up with many not making it due to predators, sicknes, and tough environments. Only a few survive to leave the nest. The ones that do fly off must learn to migrate and gain experience before they can have babies. Around 3 or 4 years old storks start looking for places to breed but they still have to deal with challenges like finding a partner and a home.
Not all storks that are 3 or 4 years old can find a mate or a good place to have babies. Even if they do they might have trouble having babies because of where they live and if there’s enough food. So only a few storks grow up have babies, and show how hard their life can be.
Storks can die while flying because of no food, enemies or bad weather. But the biggest reason they die is from getting shocked by electricity. Favets says sometimes we don’t know how they die because it happens in faraway places, but when we do know it’s usually from getting shocked by power lines or poles. Some storks with trackers are doing well. 2 are nesting in Zwin Nature Park and Lapscheure, and 1 in Normandy, 350 kilometers away. This year Zwin Nature Park put trackers on 8 young storks and plans to do more in the future.
