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Date Published: 15/11/2021
ARCHIVED - Bearded vulture returns from brink of extinction in Spain
The endangered species has been spotted in Andalucía and Valencia
After the progressive disappearance of the endangered bearded vulture from Spain throughout the 20th century, the bird of prey population has once again begun to slowly recover, thanks in no small part to the efforts of the Monirepro QH project. Developed by the Foundation for the Conservation of the Bearded Vulture (FCQ), the organisation has implemented several measures to attract and sustain the birds in four main communities: Aragon, Asturias, Cantabria and Castilla y Leon.
Process of encouraging the reproduction of the vultures
- Through detailed studies, the experts have learned that the integrity of bearded vulture nests is directly correlated with reproductive success. To this end, the ecologists scattered sheep wool throughout their territory and confirmed that the birds favour this material, particularly in the earlier stages of nest building. In Aragon alone, this measure resulted in 30 new chicks this year.
- The project carefully selected sites for ‘hacking’; that is, the identification of ideal areas to progressively release healthy specimens to ensure their settlement and reproduction. Habitat studies conducted by the FCQ have determined that locations that are isolated from humans, have low risk of threats and abundant food sources naturally provide the best habitats for breeding vultures.
- A novel method of attracting more birds is the implementation of social attraction techniques, whereby realistic lures are strategically placed around a target territory to draw more specimens to settle in the area.
- Finally, the authorities have come to an agreement with local sheep farmers for the storage and distribution of sheep carcasses to provide an additional but vital food source for the bearded vultures.
Among the projects promoted by the FCQ, the reintroduction of the species in the Picos de Europa National Park, where it has been extinct for more than half a century, has been a huge success. So far, 30 birds have been released in this area and their development will be closely monitored by the experts. In addition, the endangered birds of prey have also been spotted in Andalucía and the Valencian Community in recent years.
Images: FCQ
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