This should have been a season of rebirth for the storks in Alsace, but an invisible danger lurks. Amid pitfalls and mysteries, what lies behind the threat hanging over these emblems of the Alsatian region? Let’s embark together on the captivating and worrying world of endangered storks.
A sad reality for the Alsatian storks
For several months, the Alsace region has been the scene of a concerning situation for the storks. The bad weather, particularly an exceptionally rainy May, has had dramatic consequences on the young stork population.
An alarming toll
The numbers are unequivocal: between 60% and 70% of baby storks have lost their lives due to adverse weather conditions. Flooded nests and the lack of food have been the main contributing factors to this disaster.
The reasons for such a tragedy
The young storks could not withstand the cold caused by the bad weather, finding themselves unprotected after losing their down. The difficulty in finding food has also been a major obstacle to their survival.
Worrying forecasts
Experts fear new losses when the storks leave their nest. Even though these deaths will impact the birth rate of storks this year, the species as a whole is not threatened, thanks to a recent increase in their population in the area.
