Naturpark Rieserferner-Ahrn
Autonomous Province of Bozen

The Nature Park Rieserferner-Ahrn covers an area of about 313 km² between the Arhn valley, the Puster valley, the Antholzer valley and the Austrian border. The Park has common borders with the Hohe Tauern National Park and the high mountain Nature park of the Zillertal Alps. Together they have an area of roughly 2,500 km² and as such constitute the largest complex Nature Reserve area in Europe. Just like the Hohe Tauern National Park this nature park also lies within the geological `Tauern Window`. The Rieserferner-Ahrn Nature Park includes a full spectrum of habitats from the montane spruce forests to the high alpine meadows and rocky landscapes.

2003

In the Rieserferner-Ahrn Nature Park the monitoring was carried out by Tomas Clementi. He recorded six breeding pairs of which three bred successful. The overall breeding success was 0.5 youngs per pair.

2004

In 2004 fieldwork was again carried out by Tomas Clementi, the overall coordination of the project was done by Renato Sascor. As last year 6 breeding pairs were confirmed, for 5 of them breeding success could be monitored. All pairs started a breeding attempt, but only two of them were successful. The overall success rate was therefore 0.4 fledglings per pair, slightly lower than in 2003. By the end of this years fieldwork 30 eyries have been found and documented, most of them laying at altitudes between 1,600 and 1,800,m (the lowest at 1,350 m, the highest at 2,250 m).

2005
In 2005 Tomas Clementi could again confirm 6 breeding pairs, for 5 of them breeding success could be monitored. Allthough only two pairs bred successfully the breeding success was still as high as 0,6 fledglings per pair because one pair raised two fledglings.