White storks were once native to the UK but disappeared centuries ago. A reintroduction programme in Sussex has successfully established a breeding colony with important individual welfare considerations.
Reintroduced white storks face welfare risks specific to the unfamiliar UK landscape including power line collisions, lead poisoning from agricultural shot, and unfamiliarity with seasonal food availability patterns. Individual monitoring enables prompt welfare intervention when birds encounter problems. Building coexistence and reducing landscape hazards protects individual bird welfare and supports population establishment.