There are only 278 left in the Jura and a few individuals in the Vosges. Around forty birds will be captured in Norway to then be released in the department.
The system could continue until 2029, subject to good results. Two scientific committees have estimated that global warming no longer guarantees a favorable habitat for the capercaillie, which likes cold winters. The other point that raises questions is the growth of tourism, which is naturally discreet and fierce. It is also closely followed in the Pyrenees, which has the largest numbers, with 1,600 roosters in 2021. The prefect Valérie Michel-Mor has been trying to “stop its decline” for 30 years.