Leveraging research, consultation, webcam observation and a policy of continuous improvement, the project has gained specialist and public approval alike – strongly reinforced by the discovery of the most recent babies at the Thonon-les-Bains park…
Our Projects
The Alpine Eagle Foundation’s motto is “Preserving the Alps”, an explicit, broad and philanthropic goal. In addition to the original project, which focused on reintroducing the golden eagle into its natural habitat, broader objectives are pursued, aimed at raising awareness, mobilising support and taking action on behalf of the entire Alpine massif and the life it shelters.
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The Alpine Eagle Foundation is proud to be involved in supporting “Les Aigles du Léman“, a project born in the mind of falconer Jacques-Olivier Travers and founded in 2009 in Sciez (France) to reintroduce the white-tailed eagle to the Alps. At the time, this proud bird had not been seen in France since 1959 (Corsica) and 1892 (Thonon-les-Bains) and hopes of a quick return seemed very slim. There were virtually no white-tailed eagles in captivity in the country and reproduction of the species in zoos was rare.
In 2009, “Les Aigles du Léman” brought the first individuals from Russia. In 2012, the first couple was formed and took four years to reproduce.
Since 2017, new couples have been formed, gradually reproducing annually, joined by nine pairs in 2021, including five breeders, thanks to the cooperation of French (Puy du Fou, Amnéville) and European (Veldhoven) zoos.
Today, white-tailed eagles from the “Aigles du Léman” project have been seen from the Eiffel Tower, the Burj Khalifa, the Olympic Stadium in London, in Vienna, Berlin and Rotterdam…
While images from cameras on the backs of our birds have revealed a unique point of view of the great glaciers of the Alps, the deserts of the Middle East and the Greek islands…
Leveraging research, consultation, webcam observation and a policy of continuous improvement, the project has gained specialist and public approval alike – strongly reinforced by the discovery of the most recent babies at the Thonon-les-Bains park…
The white-tailed eagle with its majestic wingspan had disappeared from is natural habitat on the densely populated plains of the Lake Geneva area for 130 years. Thanks to funding from the Alpine Eagle Foundation, and the “Aigles du Léman” animal park, created in Sciez (Haute-Savoie, France), by falconer Jacques-Olivier Travers, new specimens were introduced to the region in 2009.
On June 18, 2022, the first eaglet of a litter of four was successfully released after spending 81 days in its parents’ nest. Due to a GPS beacon fitted to the eaglet to provide daily tracking of precise data on its location, heart rate and diet, the first signs of adaptation in the wild have been positive. As a result of this first action, more than 80 white-tailed eagles will be released on the shores of Lake Geneva over the next eight years.
The gradual installation of wind turbines at ever-higher altitudes will increase the likelihood of these large birds of prey colliding with the blades. The programme will attempt to use a spatial model to define the areas at risk in the Swiss Alps, to ensure that the areas most critical to the eagle’s survival are spared. Similar work has already been carried out on the bearded vulture. This data will also be useful for the protection of the eagles reintroduced on the Lake Geneva coastline, as they will also fly towards the Alps.
Partially funded by the Alpine Eagle Foundation, and in partnership with Professor Raphaël Arlettaz, Head of the Division of Conservation Biology at the University of Bern, this innovative programme will run for four years.
