Protected areas under pressure: decline, redistribution, local eradication and projected extinction of a threatened predator, the red kite, in Doñana National Park, Spain

Doñana National Park, despite its status as a protected area, is facing significant challenges in maintaining viable populations of endangered species. A study on the red kite (Milvus milvus), a highly endangered raptor near-endemic to Europe, reveals a 46-55% decline in population over four decades, with the species increasingly confined to the core National Park and its buffer zones. The research attributes this decline to illegal poisoning, habitat degradation, food scarcity, competition, predation, and chemical contamination. Demographic modeling predicts potential extinction within two decades if current trends persist. While the park has prevented regional extinction, it has not guaranteed species safety, highlighting a growing issue of 'extinction debt' as anthropogenic pressures increase around protected areas.

Sergio, F., Tanferna, A., Chicano, J., Blas, J., Tavecchia, G., & Hiraldo, F. (2019). Protected areas under pressure: decline, redistribution, local eradication and projected extinction of a threatened predator, the red kite, in Doñana National Park, Spain. Endangered Species Research, 38, 189–204. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00946