SEO/BIRDLIFE PURCHASES A FARM OVER 200 HECTARES IN FUERTEVENTURA ISLAND IN ORDER TO CONSERVE THE HOUBARA BUSTARD IN THE CANARY ISLANDS One of the main objectives of the LIFE project for the conservation of the Houbara Bustard that SEO/Birdlife is undertaking in the Canary Islands is the purchase of land in order to conserve this species, endemic in the archipelago and unique in Europe. The acquisition of the farm, whose price is 780.000 euros, is possible thanks to funding of the European Union LIFE Programme, that contributes 75% of the total amount.
The Cercado del Jarde farm is located in the centre of Fuerteventura island, to the east of Antigua. It is a well-conserved steppic area where, according to the latest census, carried out last winter, over a dozen Houbara Bustards can be found. This is not, however, the only asset of this farm where Black-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles orientalis , Cream-Coloured Courser Cursorius Cursor , bannermani subspecies cf., Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus , insularum subspecies (an endemism), Cream-Coloured Courser Cursorius Cursor, polatzeki subspecies (also an endemism), Berhelot's Pipit Anthus, berthelotii subspecies , Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis , koenigi subspecies , Trumpeter Finch, Bucanetes githagineus, amantum subspecies and Spectacled Warbler Sylvia conspicillata , orbitalis subspecies can also be found. To this list of steppic birds a pair of the endangered Canary Island Stonechat Saxicola dacotiae dacotiae -seen in the surroundings of the reserve - must be added.
LIFE Project
The Houbara Bustard , whose subspecies endemic to the Canarian archipelago is in danger of extinction , benefits from a conservation project developed by SEO/BirdLife thanks to the financial support of the European Union LIFE Programme . The actions take place in SPAs in Lanzarote and Fuerteventura Islands.
The total investment amounts to 1.558.321 euros, 75% of which (1.168.741 euros) stems from the LIFE Programme while the rest is a contribution of SEO/BirdLife, Lanzarote Island Council, Fuerteventura Island Council, the Territorial Planning and Environment Chancellery of the Canary Islands Government, the RSPB (BirdLife in the United Kingdom) and Swarovski. The actions, that will be carried out in the SPA of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, will benefit populations of other endangered steppic birds like the Cream-Coloured Courser Cursorius Cursor , bannermani subspecies cf., Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus , insularum subspecies or Black-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles orientalis .