One last hope
When a species or a subspecies declines at such a fast rate as in the case of the southern dunlin, there is normally more than one reason for it. In Sweden a comprehensive system of drainage of the landscape began in the second half of the 1800s. This caused a major reduction in natural wetlands and wet coastal meadows, in certain parts of Sweden they disappeared completely. For the wading birds this is a huge problem, this also meant that predators like foxes and badgers quickly appeared in the reclaimed areas. Observations off nests during the breeding season made over the past 20 years have shown that predation of eggs in some places has been 70-100% per year and in best cases around 50%. The high
mortality in juveniles is a big problem for the small population. Humans have shifted the balance of nature in many ways something that have severely disadvantaged these waders. Together Nordens Ark and Birdlife Sweden are working to help the species with a method called headstarting. Every year eggs are collected in the wild and cared for until the juveniles can fly. When they become fledlings they are realesed back into the wild. This increases the survival rate for the juveniles which is crutial for the species long term survival.
