Aspe launches new barn owl conservation project to protect vulnerable species

Aspe is continuing its efforts to protect local wildlife with a new conservation project designed to boost the population of the barn owl. The initiative uses a proven reintroduction technique that has already helped establish breeding pairs in the municipality, offering fresh hope for one of the Valencian Community’s most vulnerable bird species.

Conservation project gives barn owls a helping hand

Aspe is supporting a new conservation project aimed at increasing the population of the barn owl, a species currently classified as vulnerable in the Valencian Community.

The initiative uses a technique known as “hacking”, or field rearing, to reintroduce young owls into suitable habitats where the species once thrived but has since disappeared.

Four barn owl chicks are taking part in the latest programme. Each day, project coordinator Pedro Gomez Clavel, an experienced bird ringer with SEO/BirdLife, feeds the birds through a concealed hatch to ensure they do not associate food with human contact. The method allows the young owls to develop naturally before being released into the wild.

The council says the project is intended to help reverse the decline of the species and prevent it from becoming endangered in the region.

Building on previous success

This is the third time the technique has been used successfully in Aspe. The first project, carried out 10 years ago at the town’s basilica, resulted in the establishment of a breeding pair that continues to nest successfully.

A second project, launched last year in the La Ofra area, also proved successful, with another breeding pair settling in an abandoned farmhouse nearby.

The council hopes the four young owls will adapt successfully to their new surroundings and eventually establish a breeding population in the area.

Barn owls play an important role in the natural ecosystem by helping to control rodent populations, making their conservation beneficial for both biodiversity and agriculture. By building on the success of previous reintroduction programmes, Aspe hopes to secure a stronger future for the species across the municipality.