Conservation of the Western Capercaillie
Since 2020, A Rocha has been contributing to the conservation of the Western capercaillie in the Vosges and Jura mountains.
An imposing bird
The capercaillie is a galliform bird whose distinctive feature is that it is a large bird adapted to cold weather. It can digest cellulose, which allows it to eat woody plants, especially in winter when there is very little vegetation available. The male capercaillie can weigh over 4 kg. It is a sedentary species that rarely strays more than a few dozen kilometers from its territory. Reproduction in this species is highly hierarchical: males gather in leks (a type of arena) for courtship displays, and those at the top of the hierarchy can mate with all the females present around the lek. The female capercaillie lays between six and seven eggs in a very rudimentary nest on the ground in the spring. The chicks then generally become independent in the fall.
An endangered species
Capercaillie populations are in sharp decline in the Jura mountains. In the Vosges and Cévennes, populations are virtually extinct. For decades, the capercaillie has been suffering from a sharp decline and fragmentation of its habitat. Added to this is excessive browsing by deer, whose populations are increasing, and trophy hunting of males during the 20th century. Human leisure and tourism activities in mountain ranges also disturb the populations of this shy bird. Finally, global warming, which is causing rapid changes to habitats in the French mountains, is also a threat to the capercaillie.
The capercaillie is an emblematic species of wild and preserved forest ecosystems. Its disappearance indicates the decline of this type of environment in the Vosges and Jura mountains.
What A Rocha France does
Timothée Schwartz, scientific director of A Rocha France, has been working with capercaillie conservationists in the Vosges and Jura mountains for several years. He has already conducted studies on the potential impact of different reinforcement scenarios on the viability of the capercaillie population in these two mountain ranges. These studies involve releasing individuals taken from healthy populations.
The aim of this type of study is to investigate how different types of conservation measures, such as adding a certain number of cocks and/or hens, affect the risk of extinction of a population. The results obtained help managers make the most appropriate decisions for the conservation of the species. Timothée is also involved in topics such as studying the impact of human activity, population dynamics and monitoring, and equipping individuals with telemetry equipment.