Support to restocking the Black Grouse population in Belgium: Report on the 2019 restocking operation of the last Belgian breeding Black Grouse population in the Hautes Fagnes Nature Reserve, within the Natural Park Hautes Fagnes (High Fens).

The capture mission in Sweden was this year a total success, with the complete quotas of translocated Black grouses. This year was very successful in the term of reproduction, with an inequivalent data on the reproduction since numerous years. In summer and early autumn 2019, the frequency of observations of Black Grouse in the Nature reserve was largely higher than last years. A group of 12 individuals observed together, with evidence of several other lived individuals in the same time in other section of the nature park of the Hautes Fagnes, is exceptional since 2010-2011. This has been confirmed by the autumn census of 2019, counting up to 20 individuals, including 12 males, numbers which had not been recorded in the Hautes Fagnes since spring 2012. All these results are very hopeful for the future of this population, at the condition to continue our effort of reinforcement of this population to reach the objective to restore a sustainable Black grouse population. However, the predation stays the negative point of this reinforcement operation, and more effort is needed to limit this impact, particularly significant in the two first months post-releasing.