Линии смерти продолжают собирать свой «Чёрный» урожай в Казахстане

Abstract

Electrocutions on power lines with voltage 6-10 kV is the one of the significant factors impacting negatively on dynamics of number of many species of birds of prey in steppes, semideserts and deserts in Kazakhstan. We monitored 13 fragments of power lines potentially lethal to raptors with total length 288.2 km (fig. 1, table 1) in 2003-2007. We registered all fresh corpses of electrocuted birds of prey on the monitored fragments. Also in the zone of influence of potentially lethal power lines (up to 5 km) we recorded all living birds of prey and, whenever possible, searched their nests. Monitoring the zone of influence of the power line we recorded 81 living birds of prey that was only 26.6 % from the total number of recorded birds. We found 223 carcasses of electrocuted raptors (73.4 %). The power line seems to be the most hazards for White-tailed Eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla), Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos), Greater Spotted Eagles (Aquila clanga) and Short-toed Eagles (Circaetus gallicus), because these species were registered only further than 5 km from the power line. The Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis) absolutely dominated among the electrocuted birds, making 49.8 % from their total number (fig. 2), and the portion of the species was high also in territories where this species does not breed. Dangerous power lines have horrendous effect especially in the regions with the dense breeding of the Steppe Eagle up to 108.4 ind./10 km of the power line. More than 90 % of steppe eagles are killed by electrocution in the zone of influence of power line at the beginning of the breeding period and only 9.8 % of records are living birds, but in the most cases they are killed during the breeding period. The portion of living kestrels registered in the zone of the power line influence was 64.9 % it is only due to the small size of birds. The Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus) and the Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) adapt to dangerous electric poles presence because in the zone of power line influence more than a half of living birds from the total number of records was registered. Adaptation of adult Imperial Eagles is confirmed by the fact that the most part of recorded electrocuted eagles were juvenile while the most records (60 %) of other species were adults. 77.6 % of recorded electrocuted birds were breeding and only 22.4 % were migrating. About 80-90 % of recorded electrocuted birds are Steppe Eagles and Long-legged Buzzard in Western Kazakhstan. The portion of Golden Eagles and Short-toed Eagled is more in Central Kazakhstan. Only following the data of satellite images Landsat ETM + and QuickBird the length of potentially lethal for birds power lines is 9478 km. According with average data of our monitoring of power lines (7.74 ind./10 km) about 58000 birds of prey are projected to be killed by electrocution every year only during spring migration (8 weeks). And the Steppe Eagles dominate absolutely about 29000 individuals. 355500 individuals from electrocuted birds of prey are the species listed in the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan for murdering of which are punished by the legislation. However the state nature protection bodies do not undertake any efforts on punishment of owners of power lines-killers. We believe the target project on bird protection actions to retrofit exiting electric poles-killers should be realized in Kazakhstan at the state level. ; Electrocutions on power lines with voltage 6-10 kV is the one of the significant factors impacting negatively on dynamics of number of many species of birds of prey in steppes, semideserts and deserts in Kazakhstan. We monitored 13 fragments of power lines potentially lethal to raptors with total length 288.2 km (fig. 1, table 1) in 2003-2007. We registered all fresh corpses of electrocuted birds of prey on the monitored fragments. Also in the zone of influence of potentially lethal power lines (up to 5 km) we recorded all living birds of prey and, whenever possible, searched their nests. Monitoring the zone of influence of the power line we recorded 81 living birds of prey that was only 26.6 % from the total number of recorded birds. We found 223 carcasses of electrocuted raptors (73.4 %). The power line seems to be the most hazards for White-tailed Eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla), Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos), Greater Spotted Eagles (Aquila clanga) and Short-toed Eagles (Circaetus gallicus), because these species were registered only further than 5 km from the power line. The Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis) absolutely dominated among the electrocuted birds, making 49.8 % from their total number (fig. 2), and the portion of the species was high also in territories where this species does not breed. Dangerous power lines have horrendous effect especially in the regions with the dense breeding of the Steppe Eagle up to 108.4 ind./10 km of the power line. More than 90 % of steppe eagles are killed by electrocution in the zone of influence of power line at the beginning of the breeding period and only 9.8 % of records are living birds, but in the most cases they are killed during the breeding period. The portion of living kestrels registered in the zone of the power line influence was 64.9 % it is only due to the small size of birds. The Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus) and the Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) adapt to dangerous electric poles presence because in the zone of power line influence more than a half of living birds from the total number of records was registered. Adaptation of adult Imperial Eagles is confirmed by the fact that the most part of recorded electrocuted eagles were juvenile while the most records (60 %) of other species were adults. 77.6 % of recorded electrocuted birds were breeding and only 22.4 % were migrating. About 80-90 % of recorded electrocuted birds are Steppe Eagles and Long-legged Buzzard in Western Kazakhstan. The portion of Golden Eagles and Short-toed Eagled is more in Central Kazakhstan. Only following the data of satellite images Landsat ETM + and QuickBird the length of potentially lethal for birds power lines is 9478 km. According with average data of our monitoring of power lines (7.74 ind./10 km) about 58000 birds of prey are projected to be killed by electrocution every year only during spring migration (8 weeks). And the Steppe Eagles dominate absolutely about 29000 individuals. 355500 individuals from electrocuted birds of prey are the species listed in the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan for murdering of which are punished by the legislation. However the state nature protection bodies do not undertake any efforts on punishment of owners of power lines-killers. We believe the target project on bird protection actions to retrofit exiting electric poles-killers should be realized in Kazakhstan at the state level.