Project Background
The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is the core of the global Saker Falcon population, where the high-altitude pastureland supports up to 60% of the global population during winter, around a third of which are migrants from Mongolia. Pikas are the main prey of Sakers on the plateau, and where they are abundant Sakers can breed in large numbers. In 2023, we found Sakers breeding in artificial nests at the highest density recorded in the world, equivalent to 7.5 pairs per 10km2.
We have previously identified electrocution as a high mortality risk for Saker Falcons and other raptors on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. However, many older, dangerous power lines have been replaced with new lines using insulated conductor cables that are raptor safe, demonstrating that the rapidly developing electricity distribution network on the plateau can be installed without posing an electrocution risk to raptors.