Ural Owl Reintroduction Program
We have been participating since 2022!
This project is carried out in Germany by the association V.L.A.B (Association for the Preservation of the Landscape, the Protection of Species and Biodiversity) and is directed by Michaela Domeyer.
This initiative, which began in 2017, aims to reintroduce the Ural Owl into an area of the Bavarian Forest where it had disappeared for more than a hundred years. The Château des Milandes has therefore entrusted, for the first time, its three young people born in 2022 who were released during the summer with six other young people born in France.
We renewed this partnership in 2023 where 2 young people were also released in July.
We will continue this partnership until the success of this program, that is to say, having a self-sufficient population in nature, in the Bavarian Forest.
Birth in April 2022!
Easter is also the time of births! Our Ural owl couple gave birth to three young, born on April 7, 9 and 11, 2022.
They are, from the moment they hatch, protected by their mother who takes very good care of them, they are well protected in the nest, warm!
We limited contact and interaction with them to let parents educate them. They grow very quickly and are already starting to fly! They are in excellent health!
We have two males and one female!
When they are older, they will go to Germany to be released in the Bavarian Forest!
Our desire is to continue on this path and participate in other reintroduction and environmental protection programs!
The big departure!
Our babies have experienced several adventures. One of them, while practicing to fly, broke a leg. After a detour to the Toulouse veterinary clinic, Dr Feix was able to operate successfully.
A few weeks ago, they were all transported safely to Espace Rambouillet (78) to join their other peers born in France. After checking their health, they went to the Amiens Zoo in charge of the reintroduction program in Germany.
During the night, to avoid the extreme heat, they headed to Germany where they were very well received. We are awaiting the return of our German colleagues to know the date of the release in their future environment.
On August 16, 2022, our Ural owls returned to nature, in total freedom! We wish them a long life and lots of happiness in the Bavarian Forest! As the saying goes: may they live happily with lots of cute babies!
Success !
We are happy to learn of the success of this program thanks to this photo showing a parent at the top of the tree as well as their little one. We are therefore facing the first reproduction in the wild in the Bavarian Forest!
We are proud to participate in these reintroduction programs and we will continue to contribute to them!
