A few days ago, a team of Green Balkans assisted in pilot release activities of three young Egyptian vultures on the territory of the Rusensky Lom Nature Park, as part of a project LIFE+ “ The Return of the Neophron“ of the BSPB. The Green Balkans team participated in the preparation and re-equipment of the adaptation aviary, a temporary home for the three young birds. Through special climbing methods, our team adapted an existing cage located in a natural rock niche for the purpose of releasing the cubs.
After everything for the new homes was prepared and following a methodology selected thanks to the long-term experience of Zeleni Balkani, the three vultures were placed in their new home.
A special surveillance camera installed in the cage, again with our assistance, will give timely and accurate information to the team caring for the chicks until they leave the aviary, as well as collect valuable information about the behavior of the birds.
The young birds will spend two weeks in the artificial nest under constant observation and care to get used to the area, after which they will be released. The artificial nest is in immediate vicinity to a feeding area where the birds will be able to find food and which is frequented by a local pair of Egyptian vultures. Wild birds will be able to pass on their experience to the young in terms of safe places for food and rest, and in autumn to show them a safe migration route to the wintering grounds. This method has been widely used in many species for the introduction of captive-bred individuals into the wild population and for reintroduction purposes, but the practical experience specifically for the Egyptian vulture in this direction is relatively small and an experimental release conducted would greatly contribute to the accumulation of more knowledge in this area.
The three vultures have been provided under the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA) European Endangered Species Program (EEP), courtesy of the Vulture Conservation Foundation (VCF).
More information about the species:
The Egyptian vulture is the only long-distance migrant among vultures. Every year it travels more than 8000 km to Africa and back. After the first migration, the young birds remain in Africa for 4 years until they reach sexual maturity, after which they return to their native places. The installed satellite transmitters will report the location of the three Egyptian vultures and provide the necessary information proving if the method is successful and the young birds will return to Rusensky Lom again to create a generation.
The activity is carried out within the LIFE+ project of the BSPB “ The Return of the Neophron“, through the key collaboration with Anton Weidl, coordinator of the EEP - the Egyptian vulture program at EAZA and with the assistance of the VCF, Rusenski Lom Nature Park and Green Balkans. as well as with the courtesy of Tsvetan Tenev and “Thermo plus-2000" Ldt.
After everything for the new homes was prepared and following a methodology selected thanks to the long-term experience of Zeleni Balkani, the three vultures were placed in their new home.
A special surveillance camera installed in the cage, again with our assistance, will give timely and accurate information to the team caring for the chicks until they leave the aviary, as well as collect valuable information about the behavior of the birds.
The young birds will spend two weeks in the artificial nest under constant observation and care to get used to the area, after which they will be released. The artificial nest is in immediate vicinity to a feeding area where the birds will be able to find food and which is frequented by a local pair of Egyptian vultures. Wild birds will be able to pass on their experience to the young in terms of safe places for food and rest, and in autumn to show them a safe migration route to the wintering grounds. This method has been widely used in many species for the introduction of captive-bred individuals into the wild population and for reintroduction purposes, but the practical experience specifically for the Egyptian vulture in this direction is relatively small and an experimental release conducted would greatly contribute to the accumulation of more knowledge in this area.
The three vultures have been provided under the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA) European Endangered Species Program (EEP), courtesy of the Vulture Conservation Foundation (VCF).
More information about the species:
The Egyptian vulture is the only long-distance migrant among vultures. Every year it travels more than 8000 km to Africa and back. After the first migration, the young birds remain in Africa for 4 years until they reach sexual maturity, after which they return to their native places. The installed satellite transmitters will report the location of the three Egyptian vultures and provide the necessary information proving if the method is successful and the young birds will return to Rusensky Lom again to create a generation.
The activity is carried out within the LIFE+ project of the BSPB “ The Return of the Neophron“, through the key collaboration with Anton Weidl, coordinator of the EEP - the Egyptian vulture program at EAZA and with the assistance of the VCF, Rusenski Lom Nature Park and Green Balkans. as well as with the courtesy of Tsvetan Tenev and “Thermo plus-2000" Ldt.
