Grouse in the Bavarian Alps: Status, threats and conservation Example: Black grouse in the Bavarian Alps

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1 Grouse in the Bavarian Alps: Status, threats and conservation Example: Black grouse in the Bavarian Alps Albin Zeitler (Consultant for the Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment) The Bavarian Alps cover an area of square kilometres. Grouse habitats are largely increased by forestry and alpine pastures. Regionally and locally they are strongly fragmented. Figure 1 Figure 2 From the valley floors with altitudes from 600 to 1000 m mountain tops reach up to nearly meters. The forest covers between less than 30% up to 60% an in some few areas 90 %. Black grouse, capercaillie, hazel grouse occur throughout the Bavarian Alps, however local densities may vary greatly. All three are listed in the German red list of threatened species. The rock ptarmigan occurs regularly in elevation > 33

2 1800 m. The rock partridge is not a regular breeding bird and records are very rare. Approximately ha back grouse habitat is formed by alpine pasture (operating alps). Figure 5 Figure 3 Alpine grassland, ericaceous shrubs heath interspersed by alder and dwarf pine and spruce lines on the tree line or forest edge characterise the alpine pastures. Many cattle boys and old herders collect feathers of grouse to decorate their hats. In some location a tail feather which is turned to the front indicates an increased level of aggressiveness. Grouse in Ski resorts Figure 4 Cattle grazing create a structure which is very suitable for black grouse because they form an attractive mosaic in the ground layer. Single or lines of spruce become used for cover and in winter times sometimes for food additionally to alder or dwarf pine. In 60 ski resorts, these open pasture areas and the region above the tree line are densely intersected by ski pistes and variations between the pistes. There are approximately 4000 ha machine-groomed pistes in the Bavarian Alps; in addition there are another ha used by variations. The ski resorts are becoming continuously modernized, snow machines are erected and fun-parks for snowboarders established. In some resorts, free-riding is heavily advertised. A few pistes only are illuminated at night, but nevertheless ski pistes are increasingly used by ski tourers in the evenings and at night, making use of head lamps or moonlight. 34

3 On free-riding slopes, increasing numbers of snow-roosting black grouse get killed by skiers and especially snow boarders. In key locations, panorama boards are erected for orientation. Figure 6: A ski resort with a 60 ha area for black grouse protected in the centre that is closed for skiing. Offenders become prosecuted. Figure 9 Figure 7: It seems that after 10 years of protection black grouse have learned to use this area as a relatively undisturbed retreat for resting, snow-roosting and feeding. Figure 10 Figure 8 35

4 Especially after new snowfall, alpine police is around to enforce the protection regulations with fines of 200. Locally, consequent enforcement of a black grouse protection area within a ski resort coincided with an increase in the number of displaying cocks from 6 to 25 within 10 years. Figures 11 36

5 Figura 12 Figura 13 Figura 14 Figura 15 Figura 16 Figura 17 37

6 Figura 18 Figura 19 Figura 20 Grouse in Ski touring areas In ski touring areas, the Ministry of Environment and the Alpin Club (DAV) work towards grouse-compatible temporal limitation of ski use. Where undisturbed protection areas are available and suitable ski routes are used, skiing and the winter requirements of black grouse can be compatible. 38

7 Figure 21 Most of the Bavarian mountains are increasingly frequented by ski tourers and since about 5 years, also by snow shoers. Skis and snowboards, and also snowshoes have become technically advanced. As a result, there is almost no type of terrain that cannot be used. Winter sports cover about ha, including almost 100% of the black grouse habitat and parts of the forest and the alpine region above treeline. species, especially the black grouse, were mapped and winter habitat suitability evaluated. On this basis, recommendations for wildlifecompatible ski touring were developed. In the implementation of the recommendations, the German Alpine Club DAV played a major role as the partner of the ministry by providing staff and finances. Table 1 In the Bavarian Alps, ski touring has developed as follows. 1980: 1,5 Millions hours 1990: 6 Millions hours 2000: 15 bis 20 Millions hours 2005: > 20 Millions hours Within the framework of the project wildlife and skiing in the Bavarian Alps by the State Ministry of Environment the habitats of the grouse 39

8 Figure 22 Figures 23 The basis for implementation of recommendations are field excursions with representatives of different interest groups and state agencies, including the Alpine Club, mountain rescue teams, land owners, state forest administration, hunters, conservation administration and nongovernmental organisations. Recommended measures are demonstrated under field conditions, and discussed, modified and finalized among excursion participants. Implementation includes panorama boards erected by the Alpine Club that inform skiers about local wildlife-compatible route recommendations. 40

9 The influence of Hunting Figure 24 In our experience from the Bavarian Alps, where grouse have not been hunted since the 1970s, intensive winter sport and viable black grouse populations can be compatible if undisturbed protection areas are available and suitable ski routes are used. Hunting of black grouse, however, can fundamentally change the susceptibility of black grouse to disturbances also in winter by skiers and other humans in black grouse habitats. This effect is evident along the German-Austrian border, where differences in black grouse behaviour are apparent, and are probably not restricted to spring hunting. The same might hold for autumn hunting because of disturbance of the formation of winter groups and subsequent spring and display groups. Winter and display groups appear to be particularly susceptible to chronic as well as acute disturbances: for example. display groups of about 20 black cocks aggregated on about 0,5 ha might become split up and scattered over an area of 600 ha and display solitarily or in small groups of 2-3 birds. Figures Shy black grouse caused by Golden eagles: changed temporal pattern, increased vigilance, also towards humans. Foxes do not have the same effects on black grouse, although they sometimes hunt them successfully. As an anecdote: also Rackelhähne, hybrids of capercaillie and black grouse, can cause changes in black grouse display habitat selections from the open into alder or other cover. 41

10 Figure 27 Conclusions At least under the limited conditions for black grouse in the Bavarian Alps, hunting of black grouse in spring or autumn appears not to be compatible with the goal of maintaining a viable, self-sustaining meta-population. These experiences suggest, that also elsewhere in the Alps, intensive winter sport use and hunting of black grouse are incompatible in the same area. Hunting in ski resorts is likely to turn the local black grouse into a sink population. Hunting bans for the ski resorts and their immediate surroundings ( ha depending on orographic conditions and range use by black grouse winter and display groups) appear to be indicated. 42