73-662: The Internationaler Naturpark Bourtanger Moor-Bargerveen (engl. Bourtanger Moor-Bargerveen International Nature Park) is a nature reserve in the west of the German state Lower Saxony as well as in the North-East of the Netherlands . Mostly this nature reserve is spread out over the German counties Emsland , Grafschaft Bentheim and the Dutch province Drenthe . The landscape within the nature park
146-414: A nature park . Various jurisdictions may use other terminology, such as ecological protection area or private protected area in legislation and in official titles of the reserves. Cultural practices that roughly equate to the establishment and maintenance of reserved areas for animals date back to antiquity, with King Devanampiya Tissa of Sri Lanka establishing Mihintale wildlife sanctuary, one of
219-846: A Greek tetradrachm coin from 500 BC (a copy of which appears on the modern Greek one-euro coin ) and in a 5th-century B.C. bronze statue of Athena holding the bird in her hand. The call of a little owl was thought to have heralded the murder of Julius Caesar . In 1843 several little owls that had been brought from Italy were released by the English naturalist Charles Waterton on his estate at Walton Hall in Yorkshire but these failed to establish themselves. Later successful introductions were made by Lord Lilford on his Lilford Hall estate near Oundle in Northamptonshire and by Edmund Meade-Waldo at Stonewall Park near Edenbridge, Kent . From these areas
292-462: A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1 December 1999. In Kosovo, there are 2 national parks , 11 nature reserves, 99 natural monuments and 3 protected landscapes . The national parks are Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park and Sharr Mountains National Park . As of 2011, Poland has 1469 nature reserves. Nature reserves are one of the 11 types of protected areas in Portugal. As of 2012, Portugal had
365-921: A federal government, Canada recognizes 55 National Wildlife Areas, containing species of ecological significance. This area is protected by legislation known as the Canada Wildlife Act, which is overseen by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. About half of the habitat is marine habitat, and the remainder is terrestrial habitat. Nature Conservancy Canada, Ducks Unlimited, and Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy, among others, protect nature reserves in Canada as well. As part of Canada's Ecological Gifts Program, these charities protect wilderness on privately owned lands. There are 30 nature reserves in Egypt which cover 12% of Egyptian land. Those nature reserves were built according to
438-454: A frowning expression. The plumage is greyish-brown, spotted, streaked and barred with white. The underparts are pale and streaked with darker colour. It is usually 22 cm (8.7 in) in length with a wingspan of 56 cm (22 in) for both sexes, and weighs about 180 g (6.3 oz). The adult little owl of the most widespread form, the nominate A. n. noctua , is white-speckled brown above, and brown-streaked white below. It has
511-608: A general system for sanctuaries to follow. Among them, the American Sanctuary Association monitors and aids in various facilities to care for exotic wildlife. The number of sanctuaries has substantially increased over the past few years. In Australia , a nature reserve is the title of a type of protected area used in the jurisdictions of the Australian Capital Territory , New South Wales , Tasmania and Western Australia . The term "nature reserve"
584-419: A high diversity of habitats are much smaller (< 2 ha) than those which breed in monotonous farmland (with home-ranges over 12 ha). Larger home-ranges result in increased flight activity, longer foraging trips and fewer nest visits. If a male intrudes into the territory of another, the occupier approaches and emits its territorial calls. If the intruder persists, the occupier flies at him aggressively. If this
657-459: A large head, long legs, and yellow eyes, and its white "eyebrows" give it a stern expression. Juveniles are duller, and lack the adult's white crown spots. This species has a bounding flight like a woodpecker . Moult begins in July and continues to November, with the male starting before the female. The call is a querulous kiew, kiew . Less frequently, various whistling or trilling calls are uttered. In
730-399: A size of 2,600 ha (6,400 acres) and consists mainly of bog. Nature reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge , wildlife sanctuary , biosphere reserve or bioreserve , natural or nature preserve , or nature conservation area ) is a protected area of importance for flora , fauna , funga , or features of geological or other special interest, which
803-752: A total area of approximately 1,330 km (510 sq mi). Section 21 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 gives local authorities the exclusive statutory power to establish a local nature reserve in consultation with the SNH. The biosphere reserves of Iran have a total land area of 1.64 million km . The "reserves" support more than 8,000 recorded species of plants (almost 2,421 are endemic ), 502 species of birds , 164 species of mammals , 209 species of reptiles , and 375 species of butterflies . India 's 18 biospheres extend over
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#1733092639687876-646: A total of 46 protected areas, which represented 6,807.89 km (2,628.54 sq mi) of land and 463.94 km (179.13 sq mi) of marine surfaces. Among the protected areas, nine are classified as nature reserve ( Portuguese : reserva natural ). About 5.18% of the area of Romania has a protected status (12,360 km (4,770 sq mi)), including the Danube Delta , which makes up half of this area (2.43% of Romania's total area). There are 15 National Parks, and around 90 Natural Parks in Spain. Spain
949-686: A total of 85,940 km (33,180 sq mi) and protect larger areas than typical national parks in other countries. The first national reserve of India was established in 1986. Israel 's national parks are declared historic sites or nature reserves, which are mostly operated and maintained by the National Nature and Parks Authority. As of 2019, Israel maintains more than 490 nature reserves that protect 2,500 species of indigenous wild plants, 20 species of fish, 530 species of birds and 70 species of mammals. In total, they cover 6,400 km (2,500 sq mi) of nature reserves, approximately 28% of
1022-614: A wildlife refuge since very few people live in the area. Wildlife has flourished in the zone since the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986. South Africa is well known for its many nature reserves. The oldest nature reserve in the country (and oldest conservation area in the world) is the Groenkloof Nature Reserve that was established in 1892 in the capital city Pretoria in the old South African Republic and current Republic of South Africa. The country has many national parks but
1095-791: Is Rye Harbour Nature Reserve in East Sussex, where a network of footpaths enables visitors to explore shingle, saltmarsh, saline lagoon, reedbed, and grazing marsh habitats. Through the Natural Heritage (Scotland) Act 1991 the Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) was established in 1992 as a government body, responsible to the Scottish Government Ministers and through them to the Scottish Parliament. At 31 March 2008, there were 65 Scottish national nature reserves with
1168-577: Is a cavity nester and a clutch of about four eggs is laid in spring. The female does the incubation and the male brings food to the nest, first for the female and later for the newly hatched young. As the chicks grow, both parents hunt and bring them food, and the chicks leave the nest at about seven weeks of age. Being a common species with a wide range and large total population, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as " least concern ". The little owl
1241-476: Is a sedentary species that is found in open countryside in a great range of habitats. These include agricultural land with hedgerows and trees, orchards, woodland verges, parks and gardens, as well as steppes and stony semi-deserts. It is also present in treeless areas such as dunes, and in the vicinity of ruins, quarries and rocky outcrops. It sometimes ventures into villages and suburbs. In the United Kingdom it
1314-438: Is a single brood but when food is abundant, there may be two. The energy reserves that little owl chicks are able to build up when in the nest influences their post-fledgling survival, with birds in good physical condition having a much higher chance of survival than those in poor condition. When the young disperse, they seldom travel more than about 20 km (12 mi). Pairs of birds often remain together all year round and
1387-469: Is also at times spelled Athene), as the owl was a symbol of wisdom. The species name noctua has, in effect, the same meaning, being the Latin name of an owl sacred to Minerva , Athena's Roman counterpart. The little owl is probably most closely related to the spotted owlet ( Athene brama ). A number of variations occur over the bird's wide range and there is some dispute over their taxonomy. The most distinct
1460-453: Is also protected, and hunting is not allowed, but products and by-products from research may be sold. Wildlife refuges in Brazil have as their objective the protection of natural flora and fauna where conditions are assured for the existence and reproduction of species or communities of the local flora and the resident or migratory fauna. The refuges can consist of privately owned land, as long as
1533-399: Is characterised by big peat areas, heather , small lakes and a very low human population density. The Bourtanger Moor-Bargerveen International Nature Park was founded on June 1, 2006. Bourtanger Moor , the German part of the reserve, has a size of around 140 km (54 sq mi). Originally Bourtanger Moor had a size of 3,000 km (1,200 sq mi) which shows that nowadays
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#17330926396871606-546: Is chiefly a bird of the lowlands, and usually occurs below 500 m (1,600 ft). In continental Europe and Asia it may be found at much higher elevations; one individual was recorded from 3,600 m (12,000 ft) in Tibet. This owl usually perches in an elevated position ready to swoop down on any small creature it notices. It feeds on prey such as insects and earthworms , as well as small vertebrates including amphibians , reptiles, birds and mammals . It may pursue prey on
1679-860: Is defined in the relevant statutes used in those states and territories rather than by a single national statute. As of 2016, 1767 out of a total of 11044 protected areas listed within the Australian National Reserve System used the term "nature reserve" in their names. In Brazil, nature reserves are classified by the National System of Nature Conservation Units as ecological stations ( Portuguese : estações ecológicas ) or biological reserves ( Portuguese : reservas biológicas ). Their main objectives are preserving fauna and flora and other natural attributes, excluding direct human interference. Visits are allowed only with permission, and only for educational or scientific purposes. Changes to
1752-403: Is evidence that from the 19th century little owls were occasionally kept as ornamental birds. In Italy, tamed and docked little owls were kept to hunt rodents and insects in the house and garden. More common was keeping little owls to use them in so-called cottage hunting. This took advantage of the fact that many bird species react to owls with aggressive behaviour when they discover them during
1825-419: Is reserved and managed for purposes of conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research . They may be designated by government institutions in some countries, or by private landowners, such as charities and research institutions . Nature reserves fall into different IUCN categories depending on the level of protection afforded by local laws. Normally it is more strictly protected than
1898-557: Is specifically defined in the Reserves Act to mean a reserve that prioritizes the protection of rare flora and fauna, to the extent that public access is by permit only. Some of these reserves include Ecological Islands , a comparatively new concept in wildlife preservation, pioneered in New Zealand to help rebuild the populations of nearly extinct birds, and other species that are heavily threatened by introduced predators. In Nicaragua ,
1971-612: Is the country with the most sites listed in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves . There are 4 biosphere reserves (two of them are dated 1927 and 1874) and 17 nature reserves in Ukraine, covering 160,000 ha (400,000 acres). Ukraine administers 40 national parks , 2632 habitat management areas, 3025 nature monuments, and 1430 other preservations. There are some differences between the regulations for England , Northern Ireland , Scotland and Wales , which are separately managed. At
2044-491: Is the pale grey-brown Middle-Eastern type known as the Syrian little owl ( A. n. lilith ). A 2009 paper in the ornithological journal Dutch Birding (vol. 31: 35–37, 2009) has advocated splitting the southeastern races as a separate species, Lilith's owl ( Athene glaux ), with subspecies A. g. glaux , A. g. indigena , and A. g. lilith . DNA evidence and vocal patterns support this proposal. Other forms include another pale race,
2117-459: Is unsuccessful, the occupier repeats the attack, this time trying to make contact with his claws. In retreat, an owl often drops to the ground and makes a low-level escape. The territory is more actively defended against a strange male as compared to a known male from a neighbouring territory; it has been shown that the little owl can recognise familiar birds by voice. The little owl is partly diurnal and often perches boldly and prominently during
2190-625: Is yet to be officially classified), and seven specific types of "reserve", each of which prioritize various degrees of protection to different amenities such as scenery, recreation, flora and fauna, scientific value, or history. Land is often sub-categorised beneath its general classification, as defined in law between the Reserves Act of 1977 , the National Parks Act of 1980 , and the Conservation Act of 1987 . Under these classifications,
2263-464: The Department of Conservation administers more than 80,000 square kilometres (31,000 sq mi)—nearly 30% of the nation's total area—with at least some degree of protection. This land is composed of 14 National Parks, 30 Conservation Parks, and approximately 8,900 discrete areas of land in total. Although the most public land is strongly protected for natural preservation, the term nature reserve
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2336-629: The Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (MARENA) is in charge of environmental protection and of the study, planning, and management of Nicaragua's natural resources. Nearly one-fifth of the territory is designated as protected areas like national parks, nature reserves (including the Bosawás Biosphere Reserve ), and biological reserves. Nicaragua has 78 protected areas that cover 22,422 km (8,657 sq mi), about 17.3% of
2409-567: The British established the Yob Wildlife Reserve in northern Eritrea specifically to protect significant populations of Nubian ibex in the area. Denmark has three national parks and several nature reserves, some of them inside the national park areas. The largest single reserve is Hanstholm Nature Reserve, which covers 40 km (9,900 acres) and is part of Thy National Park . In Sweden , there are 30 national parks . The first of them
2482-557: The Red Sea and Arabia. It was introduced to the United Kingdom in the 19th century, and has spread across much of England and the whole of Wales. It was introduced to Otago in New Zealand by the local acclimatisation society in 1906, and to Canterbury a little later, and is now widespread in the eastern and northern South Island ; it is partially protected under Schedule 2 of New Zealand's Wildlife Act 1953 , whereas most introduced birds explicitly have no protection or are game birds. This
2555-550: The United States is Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge and was established by Theodore Roosevelt in 1903 as part of his Square Deal campaign to improve the country. At the time, setting aside land for wildlife was not a constitutional right of the president. In 2006, a bi-partisan group of US House of Representatives members established the Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus to further support
2628-619: The ancient world. According to stone inscriptions found in the vicinity, the king commanded the people not to harm animals or destroy trees within the area. In the United States, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service , managed by the Secretary of the Interior , is responsible for managing many of the federal nature reserves including the National Wildlife Refuge System . The National Wildlife Refuge System includes areas administered for
2701-782: The best-known is the Kruger National Park , which was announced in 1898, and is the largest, at nearly 2,000,000 ha (20,000 km ). The Kruger Park and Table Mountain National Park are two of South Africa's most visited tourist attractions, along with the Addo Elephant National Park . South Africa also has 10 World Heritage Sites , including four natural sites and one mixed site. And it has provincial game reserves including Shamwari , Londolozi , Sanbona and Lalibela. The country currently has 20 national parks covering 3,700,000 ha (37,000 km ), about 3% of
2774-626: The bird's conservation status as being of " least concern ". Owls have often been depicted from the Upper Palaeolithic onwards, in forms from statuettes and drawings to pottery and wooden posts, but in the main they are generic rather than identifiable to species. The little owl is, however, closely associated with the Greek goddess Athena and the Roman goddess Minerva , and hence represents wisdom and knowledge. A little owl with an olive branch appears on
2847-555: The birds spread and had become abundant by 1900. The owls acquired a bad reputation and were believed to prey on game bird chicks. They therefore became a concern to game breeders who tried to eliminate them. In 1935 the British Trust for Ornithology initiated a study into the little owl's diet led by the naturalist Alice Hibbert-Ware . The report showed that the owls feed almost entirely on insects, other invertebrates and small mammals and thus posed little threat to game birds. There
2920-489: The bond may last until one partner dies. A. noctua has an extremely large range. It has been estimated that there are between 560 thousand and 1.3 million breeding pairs in Europe, and as Europe equates to 25 to 49% of the global range, the world population may be between 5 million and 15 million birds. The population is believed to be stable, and for these reasons, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed
2993-572: The breeding season, other more modulated calls are made, and a pair may call in duet. Various yelping, chattering or barking sounds are made in the vicinity of the nest. The little owl is widespread across Europe, Asia and North Africa. Its range in Eurasia extends from the Iberian Peninsula and Denmark eastwards to China and southwards to the Himalayas. In Africa it is present from Mauritania to Egypt,
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3066-821: The country's land area. In 1984, the two areas with the highest number of nature reserves were the South (15.2%) and Samaria (the Shomron, 13.5%). Under the Nature Conservation Law, places can be designated as 'wilderness areas', 'nature conservation areas' and 'prefectural nature conservation areas'. In 1995, when the Japanese Government published its information in English, there were 5 wilderness areas, 10 nature conservation areas and 516 prefectural nature conservation areas. There are seven nature reserves in Jordan . In 1966
3139-622: The country's total area. A few of them predate the October Revolution of 1917, but most have been created during the Soviet Union era. There are also natural protected areas where only certain species are protected, or only certain activities are prohibited; those are known as zakaznik (Russian: заказник ). Unofficial sanctuaries can also occur as a result of human accidents; the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone has in practice become
3212-528: The day ( mobbing ). Such huntings, particularly with tawny owls , were practiced in Italy from 350 B.C. until the 20th century and in Germany from the 17th to the 20th century. In Italy, mainly skylarks were caught in this way. The main place of trade was Crespina , a small town near Pisa . Here, little owls were traditionally sold on 29 September, after being taken from their nests and raised in human care. Only since
3285-407: The day. If living in an area with a large amount of human activity, little owls may grow used to humans and will remain on their perch, often in full view, while people are around. The little owl has a life expectancy of about 16 years. However, many birds do not reach maturity; severe winters can take their toll and some birds are killed by road vehicles at night, so the average lifespan may be on
3358-512: The early 20th century. This owl is a member of the typical or true owl family Strigidae , which contains most species of owl, the other grouping being the barn owls, Tytonidae . It is a small (approx. 22 cm long), cryptically coloured , mainly nocturnal species and is found in a range of habitats including farmland, woodland fringes, steppes and semi-deserts. It feeds on insects, earthworms, other invertebrates and small vertebrates. Males hold territories which they defend against intruders. This owl
3431-424: The ecosystems in both types of reserve are allowed to restore and preserve the natural balance, biological diversity and natural ecological processes. Ecological stations are also allowed to change the environment within strictly defined limits (e.g. affecting no more than three percent of the area or 1,500 hectares (3,700 acres), whichever is less) for the purpose of scientific research. A wildlife reserve in Brazil
3504-692: The end of March 2004, there were 215 national nature reserves in England with a total area of 879 km (339 sq mi). The reserves are scattered through England, from Lindisfarne in Northumberland to The Lizard in Cornwall . Nearly every rural county has at least one. Many national nature reserves contain nationally important populations of rare flowers , ferns and mosses , butterflies and other insects , and nesting and wintering birds . Examples include unique alpine plants at Upper Teesdale and
3577-426: The female who sometimes starts sitting after the first egg is laid. While she is incubating the eggs, the male brings food for her. The eggs hatch after 28 or 29 days. At first the chicks are brooded by the female and the male brings in food which she distributes to them. Later, both parents are involved in hunting and feeding them. The young leave the nest at about 7 weeks, and can fly a week or two later. Usually there
3650-504: The field of snake's head fritillaries at North Meadow, Cricklade , Wiltshire . There are now over 1,050 local nature reserves in England. They range from windswept coastal headlands, ancient woodlands and flower-rich meadows to former inner-city railways, long-abandoned landfill sites and industrial areas now re-colonized by wildlife. In total, they cover almost 40,000 ha (99,000 acres)—a natural resource which makes an important contribution to England's biodiversity . A good example
3723-535: The ground and it caches surplus food in holes or other hiding places. A study of the pellets of indigestible material that the birds regurgitate found mammals formed 20 to 50% of the diet and insects 24 to 49%. Mammals taken included mice, rats, voles, shrews, moles and rabbits. The birds were mostly taken during the breeding season and were often fledglings, and including the chicks of game birds . The insects included Diptera , Dermaptera , Coleoptera , Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera . Some vegetable matter (up to 5%)
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#17330926396873796-522: The largest total areas being in Bavaria with 1,416 km (547 sq mi) and Lower Saxony with 1,275 km (492 sq mi). In Hungary, there are 10 national parks , more than 15 nature reserves and more than 250 protected areas. Hortobágy National Park is the largest continuous natural grassland in Europe and the oldest national park in Hungary. It is situated on the eastern part of Hungary, on
3869-550: The laws no. 102/1983 and 4/1994 for protection of the Egyptian nature reserve. Egypt announced a plan from to build 40 nature reserves from 1997 to 2017, to help protect the natural resources and the culture and history of those areas. The largest nature reserve in Egypt is Gebel Elba (35,600 square kilometres (13,700 sq mi)) in the southeast, on the Red Sea coast. On 16 March 1959,
3942-530: The nation's landmass. Private nature reserves exist with land excluded from private land trusts and maintained at the sole cost of the proprietor. For example, O Parks, WildLife, and Recreation, Or El Ostional Private Wildlife Reserve, was established within the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor by retired FDNY firefighter Kevin Michael Shea, who purchased 46 acres (0.19 km ) of land for
4015-660: The needs of the National Wildlife Refuge System in Congress . Little owl Carine noctua The little owl ( Athene noctua ), also known as the owl of Athena or owl of Minerva , is a bird that inhabits much of the temperate and warmer parts of Europe, the Palearctic east to Korea , and North Africa. It was introduced into Britain at the end of the 19th century and into the South Island of New Zealand in
4088-418: The north African A. n. desertae , and three intermediate subspecies, A. n. indigena of southeast Europe and Asia Minor , A. n. glaux in north Africa and southwest Asia, and A. n. bactriana of central Asia. Differences in size of bird and length of toes, reasons put forward for splitting off A. n. spilogastra , seem inconclusive; A. n. plumipes has been claimed to differ genetically from other members of
4161-549: The objectives of the unit are compatible with the landowners' usage of the land and natural resources. Public visits are subject to the conditions and restrictions established by the management plan of the unit and are subject to authorisation by and regulations of the main administrative and scientific research body. The Niagara Escarpment and the St. Lawrence River in Ontario are among the 18 nature reserves recognized by UNESCO in Canada. As
4234-468: The order of 3 years. This owl becomes more vocal at night as the breeding season approaches in late spring. The nesting location varies with habitat, nests being found in holes in trees, in cliffs, quarries, walls, old buildings, river banks and rabbit burrows. A clutch of 3 to 5 eggs is laid (occasionally 2 to 8). The eggs are broadly elliptical, white and without gloss; they measure about 35.5 by 29.5 mm (1.40 by 1.16 in). They are incubated by
4307-550: The organization that would later start Jordan's nature reserves, the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature , was founded. RSCN's first efforts involved bringing back severely endangered species. In 1973, RSCN was given the right to issue hunting licenses, giving RSCN an upper hand in preventing extinction. The first step was the founding of Jordan's first nature reserve, Shaumari Wildlife Reserve , in 1975. The primary purpose
4380-571: The plain of the Alföld. It was established in 1972. There are alkaline grasslands interrupted by marshes. They have a sizable importance because there are the fishponds. One of the most spectacular sights of the park is the autumn migration of cranes. Some famous Hungarian animal species live in Hortobágy National Park, such as the grey cattle, racka long-wool sheep living only in Hungary, Hungarian horses and buffalo. Hortobágy National Park has been
4453-493: The protection and conservation of fish and wildlife that are threatened with extinction, as well as wildlife ranges, game ranges, wildlife management areas, and waterfowl production areas. The first North American wildlife refuge, Lake Merritt Wildlife sanctuary at Lake Merritt , was established by Samuel Merritt and enacted in California state law in 1870 as the first government owned refuge. The first federally owned refuge in
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#17330926396874526-518: The purpose of restoring the ecological system of a dry tropical forest , ravaged during the Nicaraguan Revolution . The park provides a private nature reserve, wildlife corridor and verified carbon credits . There are around 100 nature reserves ( Russian : заповедник , romanized : zapovednik ) in Russia, covering some 330,000 km (130,000 sq mi), or about 1.4% of
4599-449: The remaining part covers just a small area of its former dimension. The nature reserve is the home of several special plants like common cottongrass and drosera and endangered animals like the viviparous lizard , grass snake , short-eared owl and European nightjar can be found in this reserve. The Dutch part of the reserve was designated a protected area in 1992 as Natuurreservaat Bargerveen ( Bargerveen Nature Reserve ). It has
4672-400: The species and further investigation is required. In general, the different varieties both overlap with the ranges of neighbouring groups and intergrade (hybridise) with them across their boundaries. Thirteen subspecies are recognised: The little owl is a small owl with a flat-topped head, a plump, compact body and a short tail. The facial disc is flattened above the eyes giving the bird
4745-405: The total area of South Africa. The Prince Edward Islands , which are South African territories in the Southern Ocean , have been declared a special nature reserve. It is a highly protected area from which all human activity is excluded, except for conservation and scientific research. The area around Mihintale , Sri Lanka , was a sanctuary for wildlife, probably the first of its generation in
4818-441: The world's earliest wildlife sanctuaries , in the 3rd-century-BC Anuradhapura Ancient Kingdom. Early reservations often had a religious underpinning, such as the 'evil forest' areas of West Africa which were forbidden to humans, who were threatened with spiritual attack if they went there. Sacred areas taboo from human entry to fishing and hunting are known by many ancient cultures worldwide. The world's first modern nature reserve
4891-428: Was Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, United States , followed by the Royal National Park near Sydney , Australia, and the Barguzin Nature Reserve of Imperial Russia , the first of zapovedniks set up by a federal government entirely for the scientific study of nature. There are several national and international organizations that oversee the numerous non-profit animal sanctuaries and refuges to provide
4964-427: Was formally described in 1769 by the Italian naturalist Giovanni Antonio Scopoli under the binomial name Strix noctua . The little owl is now placed in the genus Athene that was introduced by the German zoologist Friedrich Boie in 1822. The owl was designated as the type species of the genus by George Robert Gray in 1841. The genus name, Athene , commemorates the Greek goddess Athena (whose name
5037-442: Was described by David Attenborough as "one of the first people anywhere to recognise not only that the natural world was of great importance but that it needed protection as humanity made more and more demands on it". Drachenfels was protected as the first state-designated nature reserve in modern-day Germany; the site was bought by the Prussian State in 1836 to protect it from further quarrying. The first major nature reserve
5110-575: Was established in 1821 by the naturalist and explorer Charles Waterton around his estate in Walton Hall, West Yorkshire . He spent £9000 on the construction of a three-mile long, 9 ft tall wall to enclose his park against poachers . He tried to encourage bird life by planting trees and hollowing out trunks for owls to nest in. Waterton invented artificial nest boxes to house starlings , western jackdaws and sand martins ; and unsuccessfully attempted to introduce little owls from Italy. Waterton allowed local people access to his reserve and
5183-641: Was established in 1909. There are almost 4,000 nature reserves in Sweden. They comprise about 85% of the surface that is protected by the Swedish Environmental Code. In Estonia, there are five national parks , more than 100 nature reserves, and around 130 landscape protection areas. The largest nature reserve in Estonia is Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve , which covers 342 km (85,000 acres). As of 2017, France counts 10 national parks , around 50 regional nature parks , and 8 marine parks . In 1995 Germany had 5,314 nature reserves ( German : Naturschutzgebiete ) covering 6,845 km (2,643 sq mi),
5256-411: Was included in the diet and may have been ingested incidentally. The little owl is territorial , the male normally remaining in one territory for life. However, the boundaries may expand and contract, being largest in the courtship season in spring. The home range , in which the bird actually hunts for food, varies with the type of habitat and time of year. Little owls with home-ranges that incorporate
5329-604: Was to create means to breed endangered species, specifically: the Arabian oryx , gazelles , ostriches , and Persian onagers in their natural environment. By the end of 2009 there were 10 nature reserves ( Kyrgyz : корук , koruk ) in Kyrgyzstan covering 600,000 hectares (6,000 km ) or about three percent of the total area of the country. New Zealand has a variety of types of reserve, including national parks , various types of conservation areas (including stewardship land that
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