New scientific article about the conservation success of Aquatic Warbler translocation

2025-01-21 | LIFE MagniDucatusAcrola news

*Aquatic Warbler made it on the cover of the special issue on translocation of “Animal Conservation”!*

A recent study published in Animal Conservation, a highly respected scientific journal dedicated to advancing wildlife conservation, has reported a remarkable breakthrough in saving one of Europe’s rarest birds—the Aquatic Warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola).

For the first time, scientists have successfully translocated this globally threatened songbird, demonstrating that young birds moved from Belarus to Lithuania could return and establish a breeding population. The study, led by Žymantas Morkvėnas and an international team of researchers, provides new hope for species conservation worldwide.

A Prestigious Journal for Conservation Science

Published by the Zoological Society of London, Animal Conservation is a leading peer-reviewed journal known for its rigorous scientific standards. It features cutting-edge research that directly informs conservation policies and actions. The study’s inclusion in this journal highlights its scientific credibility and the importance of the findings for global biodiversity efforts.

A Bold Experiment to Stop Decline

The Aquatic Warbler is Europe’s most endangered songbird, with over 90% of its breeding population lost in recent decades due to habitat destruction. Traditional conservation measures—such as habitat protection—have slowed the decline, but isolated populations continue to dwindle. To counteract this, researchers tested whether juvenile birds could be translocated and successfully imprint on a new breeding site before migrating to Africa for the winter.

In 2018 and 2019, 100 chicks were carefully relocated from Belarus to Lithuania’s Žuvintas Biosphere Reserve, where they were hand-reared and released into managed fen mires. The project “LIFE MagniDucatusAcrola”, funded by the EU LIFE program, aimed to determine if these birds would return to their new home after their first migration.

A Stunning Success: The Birds Came Back!

The results were beyond expectations:
✔ Up to 22% of translocated birds returned to the release site—a rate similar to naturally occurring populations.
✔ Some birds returned two or even three years in a row, proving reproduction at the release site.
✔ The local population at the release site quadrupled, reaching a record 33 singing males in 2020—a dramatic increase that would have been impossible without intervention.

Why This Matters

This study is a game-changer for conservation. Until now, translocation has rarely been attempted for long-distance migrating songbirds, as many believed it would fail. The success of this project challenges that assumption and opens the door for similar efforts to rescue other threatened migratory species.

The research also shows that human intervention can reverse species decline, but only if combined with habitat protection. The Žuvintas site was carefully prepared to provide the right conditions, proving that translocation alone is not enough—birds need a safe place to return to.

A Call for Action

The Aquatic Warbler’s future remains uncertain, but this study proves that conservation action can work. Governments, conservationists, and funding agencies must now scale up these efforts to restore more populations before it’s too late.

This groundbreaking research, published in Animal Conservation, is a ray of hope in the fight against biodiversity loss. With the right strategies, even species on the brink can be given a second chance.

Read the full article here: https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/acv.13018.

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