Wild Animal Welfare

Wild Capercaillie 2026 Progress

Capercaillie conservation in 2026 shows cautious progress with individual welfare monitoring and habitat restoration underpinning population recovery.

Key Facts

UK capercaillie population stabilised at approximately 500 birds following intensive conservation
Targeted predator management at key Cairngorms sites has improved chick survival rates
Deer fence removal along known flight paths has reduced collision mortality
Habitat restoration in native pinewood has expanded breeding habitat available
Disturbance management at lek sites during breeding season protects individual welfare

Welfare Considerations

Individual capercaillie in well-managed Cairngorms pinewood benefit from predator management, fence removal, and lek disturbance prevention that directly reduce their individual welfare costs. Each conservation intervention at this scale matters for a population where every individual counts.

What You Can Do

Support Cairngorms Connect and RSPB capercaillie recovery work
Respect capercaillie exclusion zones in the Cairngorms during the breeding season
Advocate for continued deer fence removal on known capercaillie flight paths