| Lesser White-fronted Goose (Anser erythropus) |
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The information provided here is extracted from the national reports provided by the Contracting Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (also known as Bern Convention) to the Group of Experts on Conservation of Birds. Some additional information (marked in red) comes from other sources such as the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans. |
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| Population status |
| Albania | Lamani & Puzanov (1962) report that the Lesser White-fronted Goose was very common in the 40s and very rare in the 60s.There are no observations since and the species is believed to be extinct from Albanian territories |
| Population size | Population/range | Season status | |
| - | - | Nationally extinct |
| Bulgaria | Protected |
| Population size | Population/range | Season status | |
| non-breeding visitor |
| Croatia | irregular wintering/migrating |
| Population size | Population/range | Season status | |
| - | - | Irregular non-breeding visitor |
| Estonia | Migratory, > 100 individuals regularly occur in few, well known localities. Numbers fluctuates. |
| Population size | Population/range | Season status | |
| > 100 individuals. | Fluctuating | non-breeding visitor |
| Hungary | Migrates through Hungary mostly in autumn (early September to mid November) but is present, in smaller numbers, also in spring (March and April). Staging mostly on Hortobágy National Park. Numbers are slightly declining, in the range of 40 to 150 birds annually. |
| Population size | Population/range | Season status | |
| 40 - 150 individuals | Slightly declining | non-breeding visitor |
| Romania | wintering , less than 10 in Dobrogea |
| Population size | Population/range | Season status | |
| <10 | non-breeding visitor |
| Sweden | The species became extinct in Sweden in 1970. The re-established population size of Lesser White-fronted Geese found in Swedish Lapland has grown to approximately 50 individuals. |
| Population size | Population/range | Season status | |
| 50 individuals | Increasing | Reintroduced |
| Turkey | In Turkey, particularly during the years with severe winters, the species can be seen rarely in western Anatolia and Thrace and unusually in eastern Anatolia. Therefore, Turkey has not much importance for the life cycle of this bird. |
| Population size | Population/range | Season status | |
| - | - | Rare non-breeding visitor |
| Legal protection, establishment of protected areas and planning conservation activities |
| Albania | Legal protection: Protected by the Law No. 7875 (23/11/1994) and by the respective Hunting Regulation No. 2 (23/07/1995) prepared and approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Establishment of protected areas: National/Regional action plan: |
| Bulgaria | Legal protection: Protected Establishment of protected areas: 50% of the wintering population occurs within protected areas National/Regional action plan: Yes |
| Croatia | Legal protection: Protected Establishment of protected areas: - National/Regional action plan: |
| Estonia | Legal protection: Protected Establishment of protected areas: More than 50% occur within protected areas National/Regional action plan: In preparation |
| Hungary | Legal protection: Strictly protected Establishment of protected areas: 95-100% of birds roost within protected areas (main staging ground the Hortobágy National Park). Feeding ground on the Hortobágy is also protected with no hunting on wildfowl permitted. Few records elsewhere, roosting sites also protected there, although birds may exit to feed on areas where Bean Geese Anser fabalishunting is permitted . White-fronted Goose was not hunted in relevant numbers in the past five years in the country due to a former decline. This reduced the chances of accidental shooting. National/Regional action plan: No National ction Plan developed. Hortobágy fishponds are managed according to needs of Lesser White-fronted Goose with lake Kondás drained to a level where this species along with cranes can roost securely. |
| Romania | Legal protection: Legal protection against killing for all Globally Threatened Species was adopted in parliament (103/1996 law) and penalties for illegal killing were increased (H.G.654/2001) but still the value of penalties was remained low. Establishment of protected areas: National/Regional action plan: |
| Sweden | Legal protection: The species is protected Establishment of protected areas: Former breeding areas are partly situated within National Parks or Nature Reserves National/Regional action plan: The intention in a near future is to create a National Action Plan for the species. |
| Turkey | Legal protection: Protected Establishment of protected areas: - National/Regional action plan: |
| Implementation of the recommendations of the Bern convention |
| Conflicts and threats |
| Albania |
| Bulgaria |
| Croatia |
| Estonia | Loss of feeding habitat (overgrown of semi-natural meadows) is considered the main threat. |
| Hungary | None until recently, although recent request by hunting authorities to reintroduce hunting of White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons is of concern where Lesser White-fronted Geese also potentially occur. Despite of a satisfactory situation at present, hunting practices of guest hunters from Italy in the country is reaching an alarming situation endangering wildlife in Eastern Europe. Despite the heavy fines and efforts on education (pamphlets given to hunters entering Hungary on national hunting rules), the number of discovered nature conservation crime committed by foreigners is on the rise (partly due to greater efforts by nature protection and customs authorities). Although no Lesser White-fronted Geese were involved as yet, strict punishment of unlawful hunting should be introduced in the country of residence of the hunter (revoking of hunting license or permit for bearing firearms for a prolonged period etc.). |
| Romania | Farmers spread occasionally poison baits against to the Red-breasted goose Branta ruficollis and White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons when they landed and fed on the winter wheat crop. |
| Sweden |
| Turkey |
| Other conservation and research activities |
| Albania |
| Bulgaria | Main wetlands that are wintering places are designated as protected areas. In the period 1997-1998 BSPB (BirdLife in Bulgaria) together with the NOF (BirdLife in Norway) conducted field studies in search of wintering Lesser White fronted Geese. Two wardens have been assigned in 2000 for Durankulak and Shabla lakes protected areas. Management plans for Shabla Lake and Durankulak Lake have been prepared and are in the process of endorsement. Awareness campaign has been carried out by the BSPB that included the production a poster and a sticker calling on the protection of the species. The BSPB is carrying out field studies in the area of Shabla and Durankulak Lakes to locate the wintering sites of the species on an annual basis. |
| Croatia |
| Estonia | International co-operation on the monitoring of the populations and study of migration, ongoing, Regular monitoring at key sites. |
| Hungary | Records outside Hortobágy area are all assessed and compiled by Hungarian Rarities Committee.Occurrence on the Hortobágy is monitored by National Park staf. A project was funded by the environmental fund on the census of the species. |
| Romania |
| Sweden | A reintroduction project was launched in 1981, using semi-captive Barnacle Geese Branta leucopsis as foster parents to goslings of Lesser White-fronted Geese. These families are released into the former breeding areas of Lesser White-fronted Geese. The intention is to restore a breeding population in Sweden by reducing winter mortality through a change of migration route from the original south-easterly direction to the south-west, towards wintering grounds of the Barnacle Geese in the Netherlands. Pending the result of the genetic study, a moratorium on reintroduction has been introduced since 1999. A meeting between Swedish NGOs and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency took place in April 2002 to discuss the genetic situation and further actions. Another meeting between Swedish, Finnish and Norwegian actors in the area of conservation of the Lesser White-fronted Goose is planned in August 2002. Sweden is also supporting the international conservation work for the wetlands and the monitoring autumn staging of Lesser White-fronted Geese in the Kustanay region, north-western Kazakhstan. |
| Turkey |
| Source: The Standing Committee of the Bern Convention has created the Group of Experts on Conservation of Birds. The information provided here is from Government reports presented at a meeting of this group, held in Wageningen (NL) on 11-12 June 2002. |