Wildlife rescue efforts address human impact on Czech fauna

Wildlife rescue efforts in the Czech Republic are addressing the ongoing impact of human activity on local fauna. The Pasíčka Rescue Station, which treats approximately 3,000 animals annually, recently released 14 rehabilitated birds of prey back into the wild. The station has seen an increase in rescued young animals due to extreme heat, prompting the use of expanded capacities and mobile cages to ensure their survival.

Ornithologist Pavel Křížek has highlighted the persistent danger of ‘death poles’—high-voltage power lines that pose a lethal threat to various bird species, including storks, eagles, and smaller birds like kestrels. With roughly 750,000 such poles in the Czech Republic, birds risk electrocution when attempting to perch on electrical equipment.

To support these conservation efforts, the ČEZ Foundation has provided 1 million CZK over the last two years to modernize the Pasíčka facility. This funding enabled the construction of new multifunctional aviaries for the treatment and rehabilitation of birds and mammals, including specialized areas for storks and small bird species.