Predation by insectivorous birds is one of the threats to Crau Plain Grasshopper populations, particularly by locally abundant or concentrated species.
One of the objectives of the LIFE project is therefore to study the impact of predation and to manage this predation on the sites of the three sub-populations and the reintroduction sites of the Crau Plain Grasshopper without negatively impacting the breeding colonies of insectivorous species.
Héron garde-bœuf, espèce insectivore liée au pâturage © Laurent Tatin - CEN PACA
The Conservatoire d’espaces naturels de Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur will coordinate the following four actions:
To analyse the home range and hunting areas, fifteen birds will be fitted with GPS transmitters by Philippe Pilard (LPO France) in spring 2022, in line with the objectives of the 3rd National Action Plan for this species. Data will be used for the reintroduction of the Crau Plain Grasshopper and the adaptation of nesting sites for colonial insectivores (below).
The abundance of corvids and the cattle heron is closely linked to the sheep flocks. In addition to adapted grazing management, grazing will be limited on the Crau Plain Grasshopper sites using mobile and temporary fencing to exclude sheep flocks and birds very locally (compensatory payments).
The breeding colonies of Jackdaws and Lesser Kestrels are concentrated in buildings. Based on the results of the Kestrel home range study (above) and the Crau Plain Grasshopper reintroduction plan, adaptations will be made if necessary to one or two colonies in order to reduce their size, by translocation of breeding pairs, avoiding any negative impact on the species.
Monitoring of insectivorous birds will be carried out partly with the help of volunteers (e.g. shepherds).
Héron garde-bœuf, espèce insectivore liée au pâturage en Crau © Laurent Tatin - CEN PACA
On Thursday 20 March, Delphine Lenôtre, Conservatoire d’espaces naturels de Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur nature animator and guard, welcomed a group of 27 children from the Lion d’Or school to the Ecomusée de la Crau for ...
Exceeding all expectations, the Fête des Coussouls welcomes over 1,000 visitors to the Domaine départemental de l’Étang des Aulnes in Saint-Martin-de-Crau on Sunday, October 13, 2024. A truly successful day, blessed with ...
La Crau will be in the spotlight at annual colloquium of the Académie d’Arles, held on October 12, 2024, from 9am to 5pm at the auditorium of the Musée Départemental Arles antique.
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On Thursday 20 March, Delphine Lenôtre, Conservatoire d’espaces naturels de Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur nature animator and guard, welcomed a group of 27 children from the Lion d’Or school to the Ecomusée de la Crau for ...
In the middle of March, Camilla Crifo (Conservatoire d’espaces naturels de Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur), Chloé Allievi (Conservatoire d’espaces naturels de Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur) and Perrine ...
On 5 March 2025, a handful of orthopteran experts gathered alongside with the partners of the LIFE SOS Crau Plain Grasshopper project (CEN PACA, Chambre d’Agriculture des Bouches-du-Rhône, Parc Animalier de La Barben, and Citadelle ...
Between mid-February and mid-March 2025, a major restauration project was launched in an area of the Reserve colonized by filaria (Phillyrea angustifolia), a shrubby plant species that does not belong to the floristic association that ...
