Support to the Black Grouse population reinforcement in Belgium: Report on the 2020 restocking operation of the last Belgian breeding population of Black Grouse in the Hautes Fagnes Nature Reserve, within the Hautes Fagnes (High Fens) Natural Park.

2020 has been deeply affected by the human health crisis COVID-19. As a consequence, the catching/translocation mission in Sweden has to be cancelled. No new Black Grouses were thus translocated, despite the authorization granted for 35 new individuals in spring 2020. Additionally, over the months, we lost the signal of the last tracked individuals (one from
predation, the others probably due to technical problems with the GPS-emitters). The excellent 2019 breeding season, supported by very good numbers in the fall 2019 census,
was confirmed this spring 2020. Thanks to the spring censuses, we were able to show that the population of the Hautes Fagnes is increasing (minimum of 12 males), with a growth rate of 2.4 times the number of the previous year, accompanied by a good occupation of historical arenas and even the creation of new display arenas. Winter mortality was very low.
Data from this year cannot provide an accurate view of breeding success for summer 2020,
although we have evidence of at least one successful breeding season for the last female we could follow in June-July. At least one juvenile of the year was observed in autumn. Individuals ringed in 2019, as well as individuals born in the Hautes Fagnes in previous years, were also observed during 2020, particularly at the end of the year. Although data from the last fall count would suggest that population numbers were falling, we believe that the census' late date relative to the fall arena activity period underestimated the actual numbers. Only next year's spring census will allow us to highlight the real impact of this year without reinforcement. However, we hope that the 2021 mission will be carried out in helping us reach, as fast as possible, our objectives of population restoration in the Hautes Fagnes.