Project Start: 2013
Zoo Participation: release of little owls into the wild
At the beginning of the last century, the little owl (Athene noctua) was one of the most common owls in our country, with populations numbering up to several tens of thousands of pairs. Today, on the contrary, it is among the most endangered owl species living in our territory. Its numbers in the wild have been steadily declining, and according to sources from the Czech Society for Ornithology, fewer than a hundred pairs currently live in the Czech Republic.
The main causes of the dramatic decline in little owl populations are long-term changes in the cultural landscape. Little owls thrive in a diverse landscape composed of pastures, mowed meadows, and smaller fields. Unfortunately, these are being abandoned in favor of large-scale, mechanically cultivated fields and meadows. These varied habitats serve little owls not only as hunting grounds but also as nesting sites. Little owls are classified as food generalists, meaning their diet includes a wide range of prey. While they focus on earthworms and insects during the spring and summer months, they prefer small vertebrates in autumn and winter. The loss of their natural habitat is directly linked to a decrease in available food and suitable nesting sites. Additionally, little owls are threatened by the widespread use of chemicals and pesticides, predators (especially cats and martens), and, last but not least, intensive road traffic.
In 2013, our zoo, in cooperation with ornithologists and university students, actively joined efforts to strengthen the wild population of the little owl in our region. Because grazed pastures are an important aspect of successful little owl repatriation, suitable locations were selected at the former stud farm lands in Napajedla. Later, pastures at the Regional Stud Farm in Tlumačov were also included. The project was so successful that in 2022 we contributed to the development of a methodology for little owl repatriation.
Thanks to support from the Ministry of the Environment, in 2024 we purchased a new type of GPS/GSM transmitters. With their help, we no longer need to physically search for the owls on-site, as the system records signals that are automatically mapped. In the same year, we also started cooperation with the Czech Union for Nature Conservation (CSOP) Spálené Poříčí branch. Birds from Zlín Zoo will be part of the rescue station’s repatriation program, and owls from Spálené Poříčí will participate in the same activities with Zlín Zoo.
Since 2013, we have released or provided a total of 27 individuals for repatriation.
The project would not be possible without cooperation with several partners. The company Sygnum, which owns extensive lands in the Napajedla cadastral area, supports our release activities. A new release aviary is located in one of the buildings at the Regional Stud Farm in Tlumačov. We also extend great thanks to ornithologist RNDr. Bedřich Landsfeld, who has been responsible for monitoring and maintaining the sites since 2024, resulting in the hatching and successful fledging of two chicks in one of the monitored nest boxes.
Photo credits: Bedřich Landsfeld, Zlín Zoo archive
