Lesser White - fronted goose
Anser erythropusLesser white-fronted geese from the Russian tundra have been breeding for several years at Nordens Ark. Their young will save the lesser white-fronted goose from extinction in Sweden.
Please note that this species cannot currently be seen in the public part of the park.
Height: 53 - 55 cm Wingspan: 120 - 135 cm
In 1900 there were over 10,000 lesser white-fronted geese, Anser erythropus, in the Nordic region. By 1980, there were fewer than 500. Hunting and drainage of their over-wintering sites had hit the species hard. Hydroelectric developments and the proliferation of the red fox in the Scandinavian mountains also threatened the species. Today, there are only about 10 breeding pairs in Sweden and around 20 pairs in Norway.
A project to re-establish lesser white-fronted geese was started back in the 1970s. By using barnacle geese as foster parents to young lesser white-fronted geese they were encouraged to choose new over-wintering sites in western Europe, where there were fewer problems. Young lesser white-fronted geese learn their migration routes from older birds.
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