Bükk National Park and its 16 partners has applied successfully for European Union’s LIFE-Nature Fund and due to this fact a joint Hungarian-Slovak Saker conservation programme could be launched in October 2006.

The project aims to strengthen the Hungarian-Slovak population of Saker Falcon – as globally endangered species listed in Annex I. of Bird Directive – living in the Carpathian Basin. The estimated total European population of the species is 450 pairs. Hungary and Slovakia hold the 40% of the European population therefore conservation of the population in the Carpathian Basin is extremely important from the aspect of the European population’s future. Although the populations in those countries increased between 1990 and 2000, the overall population decreased by 20% in the last ten years. There is not any reliable information about the reasons of that apparently contradictory situation.

Having regard the facts above, conservation measures can be successful only if on one hand the impacts on Sakers during migration and threatening factors can be identified, and on the other hand if losses can be compensated by strengthening the population in the Carpathian Basin.

• Disappearing natural nest sites;
• Decreasing or/and disappearing food resources and feeding areas;
• Increased mortality because of electrocution and shooting;
• Decreasing breeding success because of old, used nests;
• Increasing mortality and human disturbance on migration routes and wintering areas.

As the result of the project, life conditions for Sakers will improve significantly in the Carpathian Basin. It is expected that the number of breeding pairs will reach 180 in Hungary and 35 in Slovakia by 2010 to the end of the project. Further increase is expected by 2020 with 210 and 40 breeding pairs respectively.