Inauguration of the Jászság Eagle Centre

5 kilometres from Jászberény, close to the road leading toward Jászárokszállás, the Jászság Eagle Centre was inaugurated today, as one of the most important milestone of the ‘HELICON LIFE+: Conservation of the Imperial Eagle’.

This location was chosen with great care and consideration for the visitor centre. The Jászság SPA that belongs to the Hortobágy National Park Directorate is home to one of the densest nesting site of imperial eagles. The region is also an important wintering area for raptors, including imperial eagles. For this reason, an ‘eagle restaurant’ was also established here and the everyday activities can be followed on the internet by a webcamera throughout the winter.

The complex was built on a commission by the Hortobágy National Park Directorate between 2012 and 2014, while the implementation of the exhibition and the two educational trails was managed by the Hungarian Ornithological Society (MME). This part of the project was completed by the first quarter of 2015. The Eagle Centre is connected to the Jászberény Zoo and Botanical Garden, another partner in the project consortium, by an approximately 30-km-long bike trail showcasing the natural assets of the Jászság. The Zoo operates a rent-a-bike service for those interested in making the trip. The visitors of the Eagle Centre can walk along a 4-km trail to familiarize themselves with the life of the imperial eagles.

The institute will be an important venue for academic, nature conservation and environmental education activities. Besides the outdoor and indoor exhibition spaces, the institute also houses office space, official quarters, accommodation for 24 persons and a playground. Furthermore, in the rehabilitation division, raptors characteristic of the Jászság are on show, represented by injured specimens waiting for release or living their life under constant care.

The Centre was financed by a joint LIFE+ Nature project of the State of Hungary and the European Union titled ‘HELICON – Conservation of the imperial eagle in Hungary (LIFE1+)’.

The implementation of the Centre, the exhibitions and the nature trails were financed by the EU, the State  of Hungary and the other project partners.