Helping to protect birds of prey from electrocution

To people, a power pole is simply part of the everyday landscape. To a large bird of prey, however, it can be deadly. Unprotected power lines are a major cause of bird mortality, particularly among birds of prey, owls and other large species. European countries and their institutions are actively addressing the issue, but in Africa, it remains one of the most serious threats. A new analysis of satellite-tracked large birds in Africa and Eurasia has revealed an alarming fact: electrocution and collisions with power infrastructure account for 40.5% of recorded human-caused mortality.

The most common causes of death are collisions with power lines, which can be difficult for birds to see while flying, and electrocution when birds land on older types of power poles. On these poles, a bird may cause contact with two parts of the electrical system at once, resulting in an electrical discharge that can be fatal. Power lines crossing bodies of water and important migration routes pose an additional threat.

According to available data, tens of thousands of birds die in the Czech Republic every year, while globally the number reaches into the millions. The Czech Republic is actively addressing the problem in cooperation with conservationists, ornithologists and energy companies. High-risk locations are being mapped and targeted measures are being developed for these areas. Energy companies are also legally required to make power lines safer by installing insulation and protective covers and by making the wires more visible to birds. Every year, they also install more than 2,000 safe crossarms with angled arms designed to prevent birds from landing in dangerous locations. These structures are additionally equipped with dedicated perches that provide birds with a safe place to land.

In Asian and African countries, the development of electrical infrastructure is progressing rapidly. Unfortunately, many of these power is hazardous to birds. This makes not only education and the involvement of local communities in wildlife conservation important, but also support for conservation organisations working in these regions.

Since 2023, the Zlín Zoo has been financially supporting the South African organisation VulPro through its 4Nature conservation fund. VulPro focuses on the conservation, breeding, rehabilitation and reintroduction of vultures into the wild. The same philosophy will also guide the planned Zlín Zoo's rescue centre in southern Africa.

“We are preparing the centre together with our South African partner. It will focus primarily on birds of prey, especially vultures and eagles, as well as Cape parrots. We want to establish a facility that will not only provide care for injured animals and support their return to the wild, but will also establish breeding programmes for these species. The offspring will subsequently be released to help strengthen wild populations,” explained Roman Horský, Director of the Zlín Zoo, outlining the plans for the new centre.