Reintroductions of Black Grouse to the UK
Position Statement from the UK Black Grouse BAP Group – incorporating the
Scotland, England and Wales Black Grouse BAP groups (amended version of
statement originally prepared by the Scottish Black Grouse BAP group and adopted
by the UK Black Grouse BAP group)
Background
A number of proposals to reintroduce black grouse to parts of the UK have been or are being
produced. Funding agencies, landowners, LBAPs and conservation bodies are likely look to the
Scotland, England and Wales Black Grouse BAP Groups for their views on the merit of these
proposals.
The IUCN/SSC Guidelines for Re-introductions can be found at:
http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/pubs/policy/reinte.htm
These are an internationally agreed and recognised set of standard criteria for reintroduction
projects. Their purpose is to maximise the conservation benefits of such projects and to minimise
adverse side effects. Their practical worth is widely acknowledged. They emphasise, for
example, that before re-introduction is considered, the causal factors leading to local extinction
should be understood as well as possible through objective research, and that before reintroduction proceeds these factors should have been removed or ameliorated sufficiently to
maximise chances of successful establishment. The JNCC Policy for Conservation Translocations
of Species in Britain facilitates adherence to this international guidance in the UK. It can be found
at: http://www.jncc.gov.uk/species/translocations/species.htm. The Scotland, England and Wales
Black Grouse BAP groups will use these guidelines as a framework to assess black grouse reintroduction proposals brought to the groups for consideration.
A review of releases of captive-reared black grouse in Europe documented 14 cases, of which
four resulted in birds breeding in the wild in at least one season (but none persisted much longer)
and a single augmentation programme the outcome of which is uncertain; all the others the birds
failed to establish breeding populations.
The primary focus of the UK BAP for black grouse is on consolidating existing populations and
facilitating their range expansion through management work. Funds destined for such work
should not be re-directed towards reintroduction projects as an alternative mechanism.
However, the UK Black Grouse BAP Group recognises that translocation and reintroduction
might be a valuable additional tool for conservation, to re-establish black grouse in places from
which they have become extinct, as outlined below.
Position Statement
1.
2.
The preferred approach of the UK Black Grouse BAP Group to black grouse conservation
is to focus mainly on consolidating existing populations and facilitating their range
expansion through management work. The UK Black Grouse BAP Group does not view
re-introductions as an alternative to the active conservation of existing populations.
The UK Black Grouse BAP Group believes that translocation could be important in
certain circumstances, for example:

There may, in some instances, be a requirement to establish populations as
rapidly as possible to capitalise on habitat management measures that generate
early succession conditions. Given the poor dispersal capacity of males,
translocation might be an appropriate tool for achieving this.

Translocation may also be valuable in restoring connectivity, and hence
maintaining the genetic viability of populations, where suitable habitat exists
linking two populations but where male dispersal is currently insufficient to
allow colonisation of the linking area.

It may also be a mechanism for restoring populations lost in the recent past,
where the habitat is now judged suitable and of a sufficiently large extent to
support a sustainable population and where natural re-colonisation is unlikely to
occur
3.
Reintroduction proposals requesting the Scotland, England or Wales Black Grouse BAP
Steering Groups’ support will be assessed case-by-case. The group will judge proposals
against the criteria in the IUCN/SSC Guidelines for Reintroductions. Proposals deviating
significantly from these guidelines are unlikely to receive the group’s support.
4.
In particular (and in line with the IUCN guidelines), the groups believe it will normally
be necessary that:

An assessment of habitat quality and scale demonstrates there is sufficient
nesting, feeding and brood-rearing habitat within the immediate release area and
surrounding areas to allow for future expansion and successful colonisation at a
landscape scale.

Any shortfall in habitat suitability or other factors that may prevent a successful
reintroduction are addressed prior to the release of birds.

A Population Viability Analysis (PVA) is used to estimate the number of birds
required for release, and the period over which releases should proceed, in order
to achieve a sustainable population.

If wild birds are used, their collection will not reduce viability of black grouse
populations in any donor area. This requires an understanding of breeding
success and long-term population trends in donor areas, and is likely to require a
second PVA analysis.

If captive stock is used, it is clear how poor rates of survival would be overcome.
Genetic provenance should be as close as possible to the nearest extant wild
populations.

Follow-up evaluation/monitoring, including the radio-tracking of some birds to
monitor dispersal, survival and subsequent breeding success, is undertaken;
potentially problematic elements should be trialled first; results are written up
and available to other stakeholders during and after the reintroduction.
5. The group draws a distinction between those projects that aim to re-establish self-sustaining
wild populations within the former range, and those where the long-term maintenance of stocks
is likely to require continual re-stocking with captive-bred birds. The former is preferred.
6. As part of implementing the Scotland, England and Wales Black Grouse BAP Work
Programmes, the Steering Groups will actively consider areas that might be suitable candidates
for reintroductions as appropriate.
This position statement in no way prejudices the views of the statutory conservation agencies,
whose consent is required to translocate, remove or release any species from or onto a Site of
Special Scientific Interest if the activity was listed in the notification of the site.