Capercaillie Emergency Plan 2025 - 2030 - Flipbook - Page 50
8. Reinforcement feasibility
Reinforcement feasibility
If the positive influences of the management actions outlined in this plan are found
to be insufficient to reverse population declines, it may be necessary to reinforce
the UK capercaillie population with birds from outside the UK. The National Species
Reintroduction Forum has advised that any reinforcement be carefully coordinated
with ongoing conservation efforts. To ensure a swift response should population
declines continue, an exploration of reinforcement will be pursued alongside the
intensified conservation measures detailed in this plan.
A study by RZSS commissioned by the Cairngorms Capercaillie Project to
identify the genetic diversity of the UK capercaillie population also recommends
that reinforcing the Scottish capercaillie population with birds from Europe
would benefit the species by increasing genetic diversity in the Scottish
population, providing more resilience to future challenges.
The study identified that samples from capercaillie DNA collected in
contemporary Scotland show genetic similarity to samples from Scandinavia
and central Europe, termed Òthe Northern lineageÓ. Within the Northern lineage,
Scotland has the lowest genetic diversity: lower than Austria, Germany,
Norway, Poland and Sweden.
The dataset for the study of over 600 samples, identifies that there is some
variation in genetic diversity across the Scottish locations sampled with
Abernethy, Anagach Woods and Kinveachy having the highest genetic diversity
and Glenmore, Inshriach and Deeside with the lowest. As well as recommending
reinforcement of the Scottish capercaillie population, the study advises that
conservation efforts should consider how to manage the finding that there is rare
genetic diversity present in Abernethy. Translocations between sites could be
considered depending on other risks.
Developing proposals for reinforcement and translocations requires time and
careful evaluation of risks and benefits. Considerations include the availability
and suitability of reinforcement and translocation methods, whether other
threats or constraints at release sites have been sufficiently mitigated to justify
reinforcement, and decisions around reinforcing existing sites or establishing
new populations in areas without capercaillie.
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