An urban rewilding initiative is gathering public opinions on reintroducing white storks to London, a bird that disappeared centuries ago due to hunting and habitat loss. Citizen Zoo, focusing on community engagement, is mapping habitats and surveying boroughs for interest. The White Stork Project in Sussex has successfully rehabilitated white stork colonies since 2016, with increasing sightings of these birds in Greater London. The survey aims to assess the public's views on integrating white storks into an urban landscape to inspire appreciation for local nature.
The White Stork Project in Sussex has sought to create new colonies of rehabilitated injured birds at Knepp and Wadhurst Park since 2016, with its first success in breeding occurring in 2020.
Conservationists reported that in the four decades before the project started, there were just 27 records of white storks across Greater London, but sightings increased to 472 between 2016 and 2023.
Elliot Newton, co-founder of Citizen Zoo, stated that white storks can thrive in urban landscapes and emphasized the importance of making London a more white stork-friendly environment.
Citizen Zoo's appraisal includes habitat mapping, contacting boroughs to gauge interest, and surveying public opinions on making London home to white storks.
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