A brand new LIFE venture will convey the Bearded Vulture again from extinction in Bulgaria and strengthen the reintroduced populations of Cinereous Vulture. By bettering meals and habitat situations, releasing people and mitigating the primary threats affecting their survival, the “Life for the Bearded Vulture” venture will restore the previous vary of Bearded and Cinereous Vulture populations within the Balkans and assist the genetic move between Western Europe, Africa and Asia.
The €5,17 million EU-funded venture kicks off this August and runs till 2030 to upscale the spectacular conservation outcomes of the earlier venture Vultures Again to Life. The Inexperienced Balkans coordinates the venture with the involvement of 5 companion organisations in Bulgaria; us on the Vulture Conservation Basis (VCF), answerable for translocating and securing the captive-bred birds that will probably be launched; and the Romanian companion Milvus group, answerable for implementing conservation actions in Romania.
New LIFE venture to convey the Bearded Vulture again from extinction in Bulgaria
Bulgaria is now on the point of welcome the third vulture species after efficiently reintroducing the Griffon Vulture within the Balkan Mountains and restoring Cinereous Vulture populations throughout totally different mountains ranges. For the reason that Nineteen Sixties, unlawful wildlife poisoning, discount in meals availability, habitat loss, and different human-induced threats have severely threatened European vulture species. In Bulgaria, these threats led to Griffon Vultures’ extinction, adopted by Bearded Vultures and lastly Cinereous Vultures, within the Nineteen Eighties. The final twenty years have been decisive in reverting the dramatic state of affairs; a number of NGOs and establishments have joined efforts and sources to convey vulture species again to Bulgarian skies.
Lammergeier, copyright Stephen Daly, from the surfbirds galleries
With the brand new Life for the Bearded Vulture venture, conservation actions will assist the institution of a Bearded Vulture breeding colony and strengthen the Cinereous Vulture populations within the Balkan Mountains. Captive-bred birds and recovered people from Spain will probably be translocated to Bulgaria and launched in key Natura 2000 websites.
Releasing Bearded Vultures and Cinereous Vultures in Bulgaria
Yearly, the Bearded Vulture Captive Breeding Community (Bearded Vulture EEP) strives to provide the utmost variety of offspring to make sure the species’ long-term survival in Europe and the genetic range of untamed populations. The community takes care of 184 Bearded Vultures held in captivity in 44 establishments, together with Zoos, specialised breeding centres and different partnering establishments. Because the coordinator of the Bearded Vulture EEP on behalf of EAZA’s Ex Situ conservation programme, the VCF apply its huge expertise and contribute to safe the translocation of captive-bred Bearded Vultures.
Chicks hatched in captivity are reared by their mother and father (or foster mother and father) till they age 3 months-old. Nonetheless unable to fly, the hatchlings are transferred to an appropriate habitat in a mountainous space and positioned in a synthetic nest, mimicking their pure approach of fledging. The “hacking methodology” proved to be very efficient in consolidating the once-extinct Alpine Bearded Vulture inhabitants, as Bearded Vultures are likely to return to the realm the place they fledged as soon as they attain sexual maturity. Nevertheless, establishing a brand new breeding nucleus is a fancy job. It takes nearly a decade for a person to provide offspring, generally extra. In addition to, juveniles are likely to journey huge distances that always exposes them to different threats that may hinder their survival.
Cinereous Vultures that enter wildlife rescue centres in Spain will probably be donated by the Governments of Extremadura and Andalusia, Spain, to be launched in Bulgaria, in particular websites Natura 2000 websites. Every fowl launched will probably be fitted with a GPS transmitter enabling the native groups to observe and monitor their actions and well being standing.
Bettering meals availability and habitat suitability
Challenge companions will improve meals availability for the 2 focused vulture species by establishing new supplementary feeding websites and supporting in depth livestock farmers. Wild populations of prey species can even be bolstered in crucial areas, with the discharge of the Balkan Chamois within the Sinite Kamani Nature Park and directed conservation actions to strengthen rock partridge, tortoise and European souslik populations. Moreover, habitat high quality will probably be improved by pilot-testing vulture-friendly forest administration methods and putting in synthetic nesting constructions, benefiting additionally different raptor species.
Mitigating threats
Aside from habitat loss and lack of meals availability, wildlife poisoning, unlawful capturing, electrocution, and collision with power infrastructures are among the many important human-induced elements threatening vulture species within the Balkans. Capability-building classes and workshops will probably be delivered to extend the capability of nationwide authorities and establishments on wildlife crime detection and legislation enforcement, constructing on the experience of the Wildlife Crime Academy. A community of native supporters can even be established to avoid wasting distressed vultures in Bulgaria and neighbouring nations.
Consciousness-raising campaigns concentrating on farmers, hunters and different key stakeholders will probably be held to cut back human-wildlife conflicts and promote coexistence. Campaigns will probably be examined in Bulgaria and replicated in neighbouring nations, corresponding to Romania, Serbia and North Macedonia. Academic actions with college students and different actions to advertise the important function of vultures in practical and wholesome ecosystems can even be delivered.
Restoring vulture populations in Bulgaria
The Vultures Again to LIFE venture (2015-2022), funded by the European Fee’s LIFE programme and led by the Inexperienced Balkans and FWFF, was an essential milestone in restoring the breeding populations of Cinereous Vultures in Bulgaria. Griffon Vultures had been additionally a goal species of this venture, with releases to strengthen the wild populations and enormously benefiting from the feeding stations and different conservation measures carried out. To study extra in regards to the venture, obtain the Layman’s report or go to the venture’s devoted web site.
Concerning the Challenge Life for the Bearded Vulture
The LIFE for the Bearded Vulture (LIFE22-NAT-BG-Bearded Vulture LIFE) is a 5.17 million € venture that may run till July 2030, co-financed by the European Union’s LIFE Programme, to determine a brand new breeding inhabitants of Bearded Vulture in Bulgaria and strengthen the Cinereous Vulture inhabitants.
