Wildlife Lapwing population stagnating - now an island is to help
Around two hundred pairs of lapwings still breed in Switzerland today. An island of around six hectares with ideal breeding conditions should now ensure that the lapwing population in Switzerland recovers.
16.03.2026, 08:35
SDA
Just in time for this year's breeding season, the island created for lapwing protection in Grossen Moos near Ins BE was secured with a permanent fence. This is intended to keep out foxes and other wild animals, as the nature conservation organization Bird Life Switzerland announced on Monday.
This is the first time in Switzerland that a breeding area has been structurally secured against ground predators in the long term. Wading birds should be able to breed undisturbed on the island so that the population can grow again in the future.
There used to be over a thousand pairs of lapwings in Switzerland. However, the population fell dramatically around the turn of the millennium, as the wader's habitat in Switzerland was almost completely destroyed. The nature conservation organization is responsible for several protection projects for lapwings in Switzerland.
