Actions for less disturbance and larger forage availability for the Bonelli’s Eagle in Cyprus

In Paphos Forest, the largest of the four areas of interest for the LIFE Bonelli eastMed Project in Cyprus, the Department of Forests has undertaken actions to reduce disturbance near the Bonelli’s Eagle nests and to provide larger forage availability for the species.

Ten (10) forest roads were selected, leading to Bonelli’s Eagles nests. Experience has shown that these roads, especially during the breeding season, are used by motor vehicles for a variety of purposes, such as collection of forest products, leisure, poaching, etc. Metal access control gates were installed in key positions along these forest roads, prohibiting non-authorized vehicles from entering. The gates’ design is specifically resistant to vandalism and other malicious actions. Special keys are provided to forest districts, in order to allow the passage of fire trucks and firefighters during an emergency, e.g. a forest fire.

In addition, works were undertaken in ten sites, in order to improve forage availability for the Bonelli’s Eagle population in Paphos Forest. These positions were selected according to the species’ active territories, based to existing knowledge, and also where the vegetation imposed the need for clearance. In these ten areas, with surface from 0,5 to 1 hectare, vegetation (pine, bush) was depleted, in order to create better conditions for species that constitute Bonelli’s Eagle prey, such as Partridges, Common Wood Pigeons, rabbits, rodents, etc.