The animal conservation park is launching a project to repopulate the peri-urban area with the striking barn owl, a species declared "vulnerable" to extinction. A specialized team is monitoring the acclimatization of the five pairs in a dedicated facility to ensure their well-being and promote controlled breeding. The BIOPARC Foundation is leading this new initiative as part of the agreement signed with the Regional Ministry of the Environment and reaffirming its commitment to the preservation of the Valencian Community's wildlife.

Responsibility for nature protection entails taking actions whose results often take a long time. This is well known by entities such as the BIOPARC Foundation And for this reason, setting objectives and planning their implementation is essential. With the aim of acting not only in the remote habitats of wildlife that house BIOPARCs, important initiatives have been launched for years to restore our valuable environment nearest.

BIOPARC Valencia receives five pairs of barn owls for an important conservation project.

After many months of work and the construction of specific facilities, BIOPARC Valencia has welcomed five pairs of barn owls (Tyto alba), launching an exciting project to recover this beautiful bird, which has experienced a significant population decline in recent years. In fact, in 2022, it was listed as "Vulnerable" to extinction in the Valencian Catalogue of Endangered Fauna Species.

Following technical protocol, BIOPARC staff traveled to the Tierra Rapaz center (La Rioja), which fully cooperated to transport the ten owls to Valencia. This allowed both professional teams to exchange knowledge and facilitate the adaptation process.

These first few days, the beautiful birds are acclimating very well, under the supervision of the staff in charge of their care, who have set up several breeding centers in optimal and controlled conditions to ensure their well-being and facilitate the arrival of the long-awaited chicks. The goal is to reintroduce the owl in the peri-urban area of ​​Valencia. as part of the actions planned in the Agreement established with the Ministry of Environment, Infrastructure and Territory of the Generalitat Valenciana to strengthen the native fauna.

Dissemination and awareness of society.

The other essential part in the protection and recovery of the environment is the dissemination and awareness of society and for this the BIOPARC Foundation has the parks of Fuengirola, Valencia and the Gijón Aquarium as references of the concept of “leisure with a cause” and true platforms to connect with nature.

Characteristics of the barn owl (Tyto alba).

The characteristic white heart-shaped facial disc makes this especially beautiful. nocturnal raptor with extraordinary qualities, such as sight, hearing, or the unique structure of its plumage, which enables it to fly remarkably silently. All species are essential, and in this case, the importance of the barn owl to this ecosystem will be conveyed, as, among other things, it is estimated that an adult owl consumes about 1,000 rodents a year (three mice a day). Thus, A breeding pair actively raising their chicks can eliminate more than 3.000 rodents annually..

El ecological value The impact of owls is, therefore, immense and the best natural rodenticide we could have. Their presence is an indicator of environmental quality, as they are highly sensitive to pesticides, pollution, and habitat loss. The transformation of the agricultural environment, with the intensification of crops, the increased use of biocides, the lack of suitable nesting sites, and road accidents, are the main threats. Light pollution and road traffic are also major obstacles to the survival of a species that until a few decades ago was present in rural areas throughout Spain.