- Martí Ribas, General Manager of Endesa in the Balearic Islands, today took part in the release of a red kite as part of the company's involvement in the "Red kite research and conservation project in Mallorca".
- Thanks to an agreement with Endesa, the Balearic Ornithological Group (GOB) is monitoring individual red kites fitted with transmitters. In 2021 a total of 24 red kites were fitted with a range of tracking materials in Mallorca. Of these, 17 were chicks that were fitted in the nest while another seven were fitted on the premises of the Coalition for the Rehabilitation of the Fauna of the Balearic Islands (COFIB) after recovering from a variety of issues.
- Endesa has been involved since 2007 in the "Red kite research and conservation project in Mallorca" which uses the latest technology to help conserve the species.
Today, in the recreation area of Caubet in the municipality of Bunyola, a red kite which has recuperated in the facilities of COFIB was released.
This brings to 24 the number of red kites fitted with a variety of tracking materials in Mallorca in 2021. Of these, 17 were chicks that were fitted in the nest and seven were fitted in COFIB's facility after recovering from a variety of issues.
Twenty of the birds were fitted with GPS trackers so that their activity could be monitored in detail. Thanks to these devices it has been possible to detect the deaths of seven of these birds this year, whose bodies were recovered by Environment Agency workers, with experts from COFIB determining the cause of death where this was possible. This is essential information so that action can be taken to address the various mortality factors affecting the survival of this species, which is categorised as in danger of extinction at national level. There was also an individual located that had fallen in a pond and was close to death, which fortunately it was possible to rehabilitate and release.
Endesa is participating again this year in the Red Kite Research, Conservation and Dissemination Project in the Balearics Project. The release was attended by the regional environment minister, Miquel Mir, the General Manager of Endesa for the Balearic Islands, Martí Ribas, the director of conservation for the GOB, Antoni Muñoz, and senior figures from COFIB.
Endesa and the GOB are working via this agreement to assist the recovery of this endangered species. This partnership enables individual birds to be tracked using the latest technology, providing information that plays a key role in conserving the red kite in Mallorca. Endesa funds the technology and the GOB carries out the monitoring work in the field and processes the information.
The red kite (Milvus milvus)
The red kite is one of our most threatened species and is categorised as in danger of extinction in the Balearic Islands and Spain as a whole. When species conservation activities began more than 15 years ago, there were fewer than ten pairs left in Mallorca. Fortunately, early action was taken and the significant efforts made have successfully reversed the trend. The red kite remains at risk, but its population is increasing significantly, and it is becoming a common species in locations where it had not been seen for decades.
Although the population is recovering, it is important to maintain indicators that raise the alarm if the issues that resulted in the red kite becoming virtually extinct worsen again. Most notable among these is the use of poison.
The use of terrestrial or satellite tracking transmitters is key in tackling the causes that had brought the red kite to the verge of extinction. In addition to providing a huge amount of information about the red kite's use of the territory, the monitoring of individual birds enables the bodies of those that have died to be swiftly recovered. This means that the causes of death can be investigated and issues addressed, the principle ones in Mallorca being poisoning and electrocution.
Endesa's involvement in this partnership bolsters its commitment to works and projects with a significant social and environmental conservation impact in the Balearic Islands.
About Endesa
Endesa is the largest electricity company in Spain and the second largest in Portugal. The company is also the second largest gas operator in the Spanish market. Endesa operates an end-to-end business from generation to marketing and through Endesa X also offers value-added services aimed at the decarbonisation of energy uses in homes, companies, industries and public administrations. Endesa is firmly committed to the United Nations SDGs and therefore strongly supports the development of renewable energies through Enel Green Power España, the electrification of the economy and Corporate Social Responsibility. The Endesa Foundation is also active in CSR. Our workforce numbers around 9,600 employees. Endesa is a division of Enel, the largest electricity group in Europe.