7th International Conference on the Conservation of the Eastern Imperial Eagle 2-5 October 2013, Bratislava, Slovakia

1. 43 experts from 10 countries participated at the Conference, 18 presentations were held and 5 posters were presented, 
2. Current population status and trends of Eastern Imperial Eagle from following countries have been presented: Slovakia, Hungary, Czech republic, Austria, Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Russia and Kazakhstan. 
3. Participants welcomed slightly increasing trend or stabilization of population in some range countries resulting from systematic implementation of the conservation measures in last years. Participants have noted that improving situation is observed particularly in the countries of Visegrad region, namely in Hungary, Slovakia and Czech Republic) and that these countries may share best practice lessons with other range countries. Participants have allege that the population of Visegrad region is important for the conservation of European population of the EIE. 
4. Strong anthropic pressure is significantly influencing the distribution and size of the population as well as the habitat preferences of the species. Illegal activities (poisoning, shooting, nest robberies) were mentioned as the most serious threats. Mutual cooperation with stakeholders (hunters, pigeon fanciers and others) is crucial to prevent illegal activities as well as to prevent the disturbance of feeding and breeding habitats. It is necessary to undertake also other measures to prevent, identify and solve the cases of illegal activities. 
5. Cooperation with Electric Companies is necessary to protect nests on electric pylons (Macedonia) and to prevent electrocution and collisions with power lines. Electrocution shows to remain serious threat for the species in the whole area of distribution. 
6. Systematic monitoring is missing in some countries or in some parts of particular countries. Based on the data of EIE population surveys in Anatolia it can be concluded that this westernmost protrusion of Asia can hold probably the largest population of EIE in the world after Russia and Kazakhstan. Systematic monitoring and capacity building should be ensured. 
7. A lot of satellite tagged birds are being killed by electrocution in the regions where the conservation efforts are missing (Anatolia). Shooting is also a problem for birds on migration. Conservation measures should be improved in those countries important for the species, where such measures are insufficient or are missing. 
8. Other threats mentioned: habitat degradation and fragmentation, wind farms, traffic collisions. Actions should be undertaken to eliminate these threats by participation in strategic and spatial planning and implementation. 
9. Satellite and radio telemetry significantly contributes to improve our knowledge about the species and to more effective conservation efforts. 
10. Current Action Plan: Heredia, B. (1996) is based on data from 1993. It is the only action plan that has not been updated for so long time. The participants agreed on the necessity to update the Action Plan. First version of the draft Action Plan will be prepared and distributed in 2014. During the conference workshops were held to identify and discuss about the threats as well as the reasons and to identify main objectives and actions that needs to be undertaken, problem tree was worked out. 
11. The conference appreciates and accepts the proposition to hold the 8th International Conference on the Conservation of the Eastern Imperial Eagle in 2018 in Russia.

Bratislava over the next days will become a center for professionals who deal with the protection of the Imperial Eagle. Some 40 experts from nine countries will meet together at the VII. International Conference on the Conservation of the Eastern Imperial Eagle on 2 – 5 October 2013 at the Baronka Hotel. The conference is organized by the Raptor Protection of Slovakia ( RPS ), in cooperation with the Czech Society for Ornithology and MME/BirdLife Hungary, under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment and with support from the International Visegrad Fund . "The Imperial Eagle is considered vulnerable species," says Lucia Deutschová of RPS. "The species is threatened mainly by illegal activities, such as poisoning, shooting, or nets robbing, but also by destruction of habitats and collisions with power lines. Only about three in ten young Eagles are surviving one year and more often die before they reach reproductive age of five years. RPS has been monitoring the species and implementing the species conservation measures for a long time," states Deutschová. Visegrad countries have a long-term cooperation in species protection. Energy companies significantly contribute to this effort by installing various protective elements on power lines to prevent injuries or deaths of birds. With all of the measures European population of the Imperial Eagle has stabilized. "In Slovakia, number of breeding pairs increased from 5 in 1977 to 53 in 2013, "adds Jozef Chavko of RPS.

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Contact: Mgr. Lucia Deutschova, e-mail: Táto e-mailová adresa je chránená pred spamovacími robotmi. Na jej zobrazenie potrebujete mať nainštalovaný JavaScript., tel.: +421 911 219 520

The VII. International Conference for the Conservation of the Eastern Imperial Eagle will be held in Bratislava, Slovakia, on 02-05/10/2013 in Baronka Hotel under the auspices of Minister of the Environment of the Slovak Republic and with support by the International Visegrad Fund.

The conference will be organised by:

Raptor Protection of Slovakia (Ochrana dravcov na Slovensku) in cooperation with MME BirdLife Hungary (Hungarian Ornithological and Nature Conservation Society) (Magyar Madártani és Természetvédelmi Egyesület) and Czech Society for Ornithology (Česká společnost ornitologická).

International Visegrad Fund has granted support to implementing this event (the project) in amount of maximum 7,874.- Eur.

The project will facilitate cooperation of experts from Visegrad countries in joined assessing conservation status of the Eastern Imperial Eagle in Visegrad countries and in designing common approach to and measures for conservation of this rare species in the region. It will also allow for demonstrating of a strong role that experts from Visegrad countries play in overall research and conservation of the Eastren Imperial Eagle.

The Conference is a part of long-term continuous effort to preserve this rare species that started by establishing the International Imperial Eagle Working Group in 1990. Before this Conference, six international meetings were held between 1990 and 2013.

The Conference will be focused on

• Reviewing recent population status and trends of the Eastern Imperial Eagle;
• Reviewing endangering factors;
• Thematic presentations on practical conservation activities and experiences

Parallel workshop will be held to initiate review of the International Action Plan for the Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca).

On-line registration for the conference is possible by 20/07/2013 here.