Parco Nazionale dell'Aspromonte

(Santo Stefano Aspromonte, 05 Feb 25) On October 3, 2024, a young and majestic red kite named Andrea was gravely injured by a gunshot while flying over the countryside just south of Reggio Calabria. Struck by lead pellets, the bird plummeted to the ground, bleeding heavily. By sheer luck, Andrea survived, albeit with a shattered wing.

Fortunately, Andrea is a particularly special red kite-his movements are continuously tracked thanks to a GPS device attached to his back. This allowed ornithologists monitoring him to immediately detect an anomaly in his behavior, locate him, and arrange for his rescue. He was swiftly transported to the "Stretto di Messina" Wildlife Rescue Center, where he received urgent care.

After three months of dedicated treatment and rehabilitation, Andrea fully recovered his ability to fly. On January 19, 2025, he was successfully reintroduced into the wild in Sicily, near the Madonie Regional Park. This area is home to other red kites, and Andrea was on his way to join them when he was shot.

This marks Andrea's second release into nature. Before taking to the skies again, experts from the CERM Association for Threatened Birds of Prey and the Calabrian Ornithological Station fitted him with a brand-new GPS tracker.

His first release took place in July 2023 in the Aspromonte National Park. Andrea's journey is remarkable - he has overcome adversity and now faces a promising future, despite the brutal act of poaching that nearly cost him his life between Pellaro and Motta San Giovanni, near Reggio Calabria.

Born in Switzerland in 2023, Andrea was carefully taken from his nest by ornithologists from the Canton of Fribourg. He was later transported to the Aspromonte National Park as part of a species reintroduction initiative. This program, co-funded by the European Union, aims to restore a breeding population of red kites in southern Calabria, where the species has been absent for decades.

Through the LIFE MILVUS project, conservationists plan to release around 100 red kites over five to six years, sourced from donor populations in Switzerland, France (Corsica), and Basilicata. In 2024 and 2025 alone, 25 birds have been set free in Calabria.

Once released, these young raptors embark on extensive exploratory journeys, but they often return to their release sites. Conservationists hope that, after reaching two years of age, they will begin nesting in these areas. Andrea himself covered an astonishing 12,000 km in just one year, traveling across Sicily, central and southern Italy, and even reaching Emilia-Romagna, before ultimately returning to southern Calabria-where his journey was tragically interrupted by the gunshot.

Listed as a "vulnerable" species in Italy's Red List of Breeding Birds, the red kite is a strikingly beautiful raptor known for its agile, acrobatic flight. A large part of its diet consists of carrion, making it an essential part of nature's clean-up crew, helping to prevent the spread of pathogens. Although it is a bird of prey, it has relatively delicate talons and a less powerful beak compared to other raptors. However, it still preys on small rodents, contributing to ecological balance in rural landscapes.

"Sadly, poaching remains a widespread and serious issue," stated Renato Carullo, Commissioner of the Aspromonte National Park Authority. "It threatens the survival of rare species that, like the red kite, pose no threat to agriculture or livestock. On the contrary, they provide crucial ecological benefits."

Beyond poaching, these birds face additional threats, including rodenticide poisoning, poisoned bait traps, and electrocution from power lines. These dangers continue to endanger numerous raptor species already struggling for survival.

For more information, visit www.lifemilvusproject.it