Founded in 2020 by Karl-Friedrich Scheufele (Chopard’s Co-president) and several experts, including falconer Jacques-Olivier Travers (Creator of the Aigles du Léman Park) and Ronald Menzel (Managing Director of the Freedom Conservation campaigning to protect birds of prey), the Alpine Eagle Foundation was set up to raise awareness, mobilise support, and take action to protect the entire Alpine region and the life it shelters. The Alps is the largest ecosystem on the European continent and relies on different raptors to regulate the local fauna, but over the decades, these birds of prey have become increasingly under threat.
The white-tailed eagle
The Alpine Eagle Foundation’s first mission was to reintroduce the white-tailed eagle to the Lemanic Basin, an area where it used to thrive until 130 years ago when it entirely disappeared from the shores of Lake Léman. The first eagle was released in June 2022, with four others following, with a view to introduce 80 birds by 2030. Each bird is fitted with a GPS tracker so that the experts can better understand their movements and behaviour in order to better protect them.
Wind turbine
One of the eagle’s modern-day challenges is keeping out of the path of wind turbines. As the planet searches for sustainable energy solutions, the installation of these large energy generators is increasing across Europe with plans to position a number of them progressively in the Alps. The members of the Foundation, together with Professor Raphaël Arlettaz, Head of the Division of Conservation Biology at the University of Bern, recently announced the launch of a new project to determine the areas that are most critical to the eagle’s survival so as to avoid placing turbines there.
The project will begin with 15 golden eagles who will be monitored closely via their GPS beacons to see how high they fly. Secondly, they will look at other behaviours, such as the topography of the land, the weather, and the availability of food. The experts will also be looking at whether the eagles can memorize potentially lethal obstacles in their territory and modify their behaviour as a result. This important project will run for four years and will be partially funded by the Alpine Eagle Foundation.
New Chopard Alpine Eagle timepieces
Chopard is introducing two new models in its Alpine Eagle timepiece collection with a portion of the proceeds going to support this new Alpine Eagle Foundation initiative. Available in Lucent Steel or ethical 18-karat rose gold, these 41mm models are fitted with brand-new “pine” green dials, which like all the dials in the Alpine Eagle collection, feature the radiating pattern that evokes the eye of the eagle. The hands and hour-markers are rhodium- or gold-plated and enhanced with Grade XI Super-LumiNova to ensure optimal legibility both in the day and at night. A date window is positioned between four and five o’clock and uses a green disk to respect the harmony of the dial.
The timepieces are powered by Chopard’s 01.01-C self-winding movement and come with a 60-hour power reserve and a stop-second function. They are COSC-certified and include the word “Chronometer” on the dial as a reminder of this prestigious label.
Thanks to the success of the Alpine Eagle models and the generosity of Chopard and its Co-President, these majestic birds of prey now have a better chance of survival and hopefully, in the coming years, we will get to see them where they belong -- in their natural environment.
