LIFE SOS Pygargus is a cross-border project that brings together conservationists, scientists, farmers and public and private entities with the aim of saving the Montagu's harrier (Circus pygargus) from extinction in Portugal and western Spain. The project has been approved by the European Union (EU) LIFE Programme and has a total budget of almost €11 million, 75% of which (€8 million) is funded by the EU.

The Montagu's harrier is a bird that nests on the ground in open areas. According to the first Portuguese census of the species conducted in 2022-2023, its population has been in sharp decline over the last 15 years and is currently at risk of disappearing. The project will start in September 2024 and will be implemented until 2030.

The main goals of the project are:

• To halt the current sharp decline in Montagu's harrier populations in Portugal and western Spain;
• To significantly reduce mortality and nest destruction, with a target of a 75% reduction in mortality and a 50% increase in the breeding population;
• To adapt agricultural practices to the species' reproductive cycle, promoting the use of cereal and fodder varieties that are more compatible with its ecological needs;
• To promote public awareness of the importance of harrier conservation, as well as to foster cooperation between Portugal and Spain for the cross-border conservation of this bird.

The project is implemented in 49 Special Protection Areas of the Natura 2000 Network and adjacent areas in Portugal (23) and Spain (18 in Extremadura, three in Galicia, four in Castile and León, and one in Madrid), which are home to most of the Portuguese and cross-border populations of the Montagu's harrier. These areas are essential for the survival and expansion of the species and for ensuring the connectivity of the Natura 2000 Network.

The project, coordinated by Palombar, has 17 partners, 13 of which are Portuguese entities and four are Spanish: BIOPOLIS-CIBIO Association, AEPGA - Association for the Study and Protection of Donkeys, ANPOC - National Association of Protein, Oilseed and Cereal Producers, CCDR-N - Northern Regional Coordination and Development Commission, EDIA - Alqueva Development and Infrastructure Company SA, ICNF - Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests, INIAV - National Institute for Agricultural and Veterinary Research, LPN - League for the Protection of Nature, MC Shared Services SA, Modelo Continente Hipermercados SA, SPEA - Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds, UTAD - University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vita Nativa - Environmental Conservation, AMUS - Acción por el Mundo Salvaje, Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Sustainable Development - Regional Government of Extremadura, GREFA - Group for the Rehabilitation of Native Fauna and its Habitat and University of Murcia.

The LIFE SOS Pygargus project aims to protect one of the most endangered terrestrial species in Iberian fauna, which plays a fundamental role in ecosystems, ensuring their proper functioning and benefiting rural communities, particularly farmers. It brings together conservationists, researchers, farmers, public and private entities, and Iberian companies in an unprecedented cross-border effort to conserve this iconic bird of prey.

Website sospygargus.pt
Coordination Palombar
Partners BIOPOLIS-CIBIO, AEPGA, ANPOC, CCDR-N, EDIA, ICNF, INIAV, LPN, MC Shared Services SA, Modelo Continente Hipermercados SA, SPEA, UTAD, Vita Nativa, AMUS, Junta de Extremadura, GREFA and Universidad de Murcia
Area of intervention Natura 2000 Network
Funding LIFE Programme - EU
Co-funding Environmental Fund, Lightsource bp, Viridia - Conservation in Action, Biodiversity Foundation - Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge of Spain