Wildlife

White Stork Welfare and Reintroduction to England

How the White Stork Project is re-establishing breeding storks in Sussex after centuries of absence.

Key Facts

White storks bred in the UK until the medieval period — possibly hunted to extinction
The White Stork Project released birds at Knepp Estate in Sussex from 2019
The first naturally fledged UK chick in centuries hatched in 2020
They require wet grassland and shallow wetlands for foraging alongside nesting platforms

Welfare Considerations

White stork welfare during reintroduction encompasses captive preparation, release, and establishment in the wild. Welfare protocols include gradual release through soft release aviaries, veterinary assessment, and satellite tracking. Post-release welfare is supported by supplementary feeding during establishment and monitoring to identify birds in difficulty. The successful breeding at Knepp demonstrates welfare-informed reintroduction methodology works.

What You Can Do

Visit Knepp Estate to see white storks and support the estate through ecotourism
Report white stork sightings away from release sites to track range expansion
Support the White Stork Project through donations and advocacy for wet grassland creation