Turtle Dove Populations Experience Encouraging Revival in the UK

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The turtle dove, once on the brink of extinction in the UK, has seen a 25% population increase due to a recent hunting ban across Western Europe. Over the past three decades, the dove's numbers had decreased by 98%, prompting urgent conservation measures. A report by the Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme indicates that a coordinated ban on shooting them, which includes nations along their migratory routes such as France, Spain, and Portugal, has contributed to this recovery (Guardian).

Despite this positive trend across Europe, the UK population still faces challenges, with a reported decline of 15% since 2023. Initiatives like Operation Turtle Dove are underway, collaborating with over 442 landowners to create suitable habitats for the species. Conservationists emphasize the importance of international cooperation in preserving migratory species. “There is real optimism...that effective conservation measures will soon yield positive impacts,” noted Mike Shurmer, head of species for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in England (Guardian).

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