Polish stork population drops 20% in ten years
PR dla Zagranicy
John Beauchamp
07.04.2015 11:56
The population of white storks in Poland has fallen by up to 20 percent in the last decade, according to the preliminary results of the 7th International White Stork Census conducted last year.
Photo: wikimedia commons/K.Billington
Poland is likely to have lost its position of world leader to Spain as a result of the population drop.
According to the previous census, in 2004 Poland had 52,000 pairs of storks, which meant that every fifth white stork chose Poland as their habitat. The current number does not exceed 45,000.
Experts attribute the falling trend to far-reaching changes in the farming landscape resulting from the introduction of intensive farming methods, particularly in Western Poland.
In the south and north-east of Poland, where traditional farming prevails with its wide expanses of pastures and wet meadows, the white stork population remains at a high level. (mk/jb)
Source: PAP