The Lesser Whitefronted Goose i Finland Lauri Kahanp

The Lesser White-fronted Goose i Finland. Lauri Kahanpää 2007 The classical - and last - spring migration observations by Martti Soikkeli in Pori A Chronology • 1900 • 1960 • 1970 • 1980 • 1984 -1998 • 1995 • 1998 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 Observations near Oulu in spring 10 000 migrating spring and autumn. LWf. G breeding and hunted in Lapland. Alarm! Spring observations fewer and fewer in Pori. Spring staging ends in Pori. Still more than 100 in Oulu - the only remaining spring staging site with 2330 hectares of completely protected and specially managed areas. Reintroduction: 100 LWf. G released in Lapland without step parents. No results. Last observed breeding. Autumn migration ends. WWF concentrates on rescuing the remaining 50 ”natural” birds. Reintroduction ends. Genetic screening of captive stock begins. Restocking using barnacle geese as step parents begins. Captive stock 100 ind. Satellite monitoring of natural and released geese. 10 birds in spring. Captive down at 70. (Norwegian free 50, Swedish free 100. ) Protected areas in Finland are currently ineffective, since spring hunting of geese is prohibited anyway and in autumn there are no Lesser White-fronted Geese. Fruitful research: • Occurrence and ecology studied intensively since the 1980: s. • Satellite telemetry clarifying migration pattern for allocation of protection resources to where the problems are. • International Conference in 2005 • Genetics of LWf. G samples of different origin. © V Morozov Public awareness special efforts: • Large media coverage of satellite-tagged birds. • TV-films on breeding and restocking programs. Continued restocking program Restocking with foster parents Finnish efforts abroad: • Observations in Estonia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, the Netherlan. ds, Norway, Russia. • Financial support to research and protection in Estonia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia etc. • Action plans for protection in Caspian sea and EU countries. • Partner in testing ultra-light aircraft as foster parents for geese.