Kuikensterfte bij Grote Canadese Gans Branta canadensis in het Fochteloërveen

Fochteloerveen is a 2000 ha peat moor relic in northwestern Drenthe. The area is surrounded by woodland and arable land, the latter increasingly in permanent set aside. In 2007 four pairs were breeding in the peat moor with inter-nest distances of >1000 m.Three pairs stayed in the immediate surrounding of the area. After hatching two families headed towards the Goudmeer (a camping site with large pond), at respectively 1300 and 2400 m from their nests. One of these families was headed by just the female. En route both families joined and finally all chicks were guided by this one female. Out of seven chicks (2 pairs), four safely reached the lawns and pond of Goudmeer; all four fledged. Pair three took their two goslings to a fen at a distance of 1500 m from their nest. A few days later this pair still was on the fen, but without goslings. No goslings were seen with a fourth pair, but it cannot be excluded that these were overlooked bv the observer. Three other pairs in the surroundings of Fochteloerveen probably did not produce any young. All seven pairs combined only raised four goslings, presumably still sufficient to maintain a stable population.