Latest news with #LauraVaughanHirsch
BBC News
07-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Storks migrate back to conservation project at Knepp estate
Storks born in England have successfully returned home after migrating to White Stork Project, launched in 2016, releases young storks at the Knepp estate in West Sussex and Wadhurst Park in East Sussex to encourage the birds to later return there to least six birds born at Knepp in 2024 returned to nest in the colony, including one who has set up home in the same tree as her parents, according to project officer Laura estate owner Isabella Tree said the estate's storks were "interacting with wild birds and bringing wild birds back with them as pairs". Storks stopped breeding in Britain centuries ago due to hunting and habitat now living at Knepp had given birth to more than a dozen fledglings by May and about 40 more were expected in 2025. The project began reintroducing storks to southern England in 2016 by taking on rescued, non-flying birds from Warsaw Zoo, in Poland, breeding them at Cotswold Wildlife Park, then releasing their young in Polish storks, some of which have injuries that mean they can fly short distances but not migrate, live in or around a fox-proof enclosure at Knepp, breeding and establishing the founding colonies that will attract other ground-nesting storks are hand-fed pieces of fish to supplement food their parents can source in the storks' success at Knepp showed that "sort the habitat out, the soils, insects, healthy water systems, and then your storks will come eventually," Ms Vaughan-Hirsch said."We all see the white stork as a big charismatic species but what it really is, is an emblem for nature recovery."The landscape at Knepp has undergone rewilding since 2000, converting agricultural land into scrub, disturbed ground and are also areas of woodland, the nearby river has been restored to a more natural state, and reintroduced beavers in an enclosure have turned a small stream into insect-filled Tree added: "What are we are seeing is that even species that don't have a reputation as being keystone species have an effect on ecosystems."They are doing extraordinary things that we had never really known about." Additional reporting by PA Media.
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Knepp: Baby storks born at UK's first 'European Stork Village'
An estate south of Horsham, West Sussex, has become the UK's first 'European Stork Village' as 12 baby birds are born, according to biologist Laura Vaughan-Hirsch, leader of the White Stork chicks are being raised in four ground nests, overseen by Knepp Wilding as part of the nests have been built by non-flying stork parents, who were injured in the wild, rescued by Warsaw Zoo and quarantined at Cotswold Wildlife Park and babies are being "protected in a predator-proof but open-topped pen" where "the young will be free to fly free" and other storks can visit them, said the White Stork Project. Ms Vaughan-Hirsch, who leads the project for Knepp Wildland Foundation, says efforts began in 2016 as part of a wider stork reintroduction project in southern bird species became extinct in the UK more than 600 years ago, with humans disturbing their habitat and causing their numbers to the arrival of the new hatchlings follows nine chicks who fledged from Knepp in 2024."Amazingly, some migrated all the way to Morocco," said a White Stork Project spokesperson."It's proof that even with a different start to life, these young storks are full of the same instinct to explore and journey." 'Their individuality shines through' The project says some mature nests can reach over 1.8 metres (5ft 11in) tall and 2m (6ft 7in) wide."Storks are opportunistic in their nesting choices, making use of whatever is most convenient in their environment," said Becca Bowie, from the White Stork Project."While all nests serve the same purpose, their individuality shines through, giving each nest its own unique flare."The project says that staff and volunteers are keeping a close eye on the chicks and tracking their progress.
