(UPM Helsinki, 19 April at 12.30) On 15 April, Jukka the Osprey returned home to southeast Pirkanmaa in Finland. The osprey is being tracked in a joint project between the Finnish Museum of Natural History, the Osprey Foundation and UPM. Jukka began his spring migration from Cameroon on 23 March and arrived home last Thursday.
Jukka’s spring migration from Cameroon to Pälkäne was 23 days and 6,836 kilometres long. The male osprey seemed to be in a hurry to reach his nesting site, seeing as his pace was clearly more relaxed during his autumn migration, when it took him 33 days to travel 6,770 kilometres. This spring Jukka had time to rest for only one day in Croatia, whereas last autumn he spent nine lazy days fishing at a Polish fish farm.
Despite his hurry, Jukka took a round about route in getting to Finland.
“As the crow flies”, the trip from Lake Lagdo to Äimälä is “only” 5,902 kilometres long. Jukka’s trip was about a thousand kilometres longer. The extra kilometres seem to have accumulated mostly during the beginning of the migration in Africa.
Jukka’s transmitter continues to work and his nesting activities are being closely monitored. The situation is also updated occasionally on the Finnish Museum of Natural History osprey pages at:
http://www.fmnh.helsinki.fi/elainmuseo/satelliittisaakset/jukka/
The Satellite Osprey project
The Satellite Osprey project is being carried out in collaboration between the Finnish Museum of Natural History, the Osprey Foundation and UPM. Professor Pertti Saurola acts as the scientific head of the project.
Cooperation with the Osprey Foundation is a part of UPM’s biodiversity program.
The Osprey Foundation is active in monitoring the birds and in promoting the protection of the osprey in Finland. UPM has prepared guidelines for forest management in the vicinity of osprey nests in cooperation with the Osprey Foundation. A network of artificial nests for the osprey is being developed further by building new nests in suitable locations. Most of the ospreys in Finland build their nests on human built platforms.
By recording the nesting sites in the geographical information system, the species can also be taken into account in forest planning and forest management. The information on the species generated by the study can be used in protecting it.
For further information, please contact:
The Finnish Museum of Natural History osprey pages:
www.fmnh.helsinki.fi/elainmuseo/satelliittisaakset
Research project:
Professor Pertti Saurola, scientific head of the project
The Finnish Museum of Natural History
Tel: +358-50-402 4042
pertti.saurola(at)helsinki.fi
Osprey Foundation:
Juhani Koivu
Osprey Foundation contact
Tel: +358-400-499 395
juhani.koivu(at)aina.net
UPM Forest
Director, Sustainable Forestry, Timo Lehesvirta
Tel: +358-400-752 212
timo.lehesvirta(at)upm.com
