From March 12, 2017, the team of the Fund for Wild Flora and Fauna (FWFF), one of the partners of the project New life for vultures LIFE14 NAT/BG649, are witnessing the decimation of almost all birds from the newly established colony of Griffon Vultures in the region of Kresna Gorge.
So far 5 dead Griffon Vultures (Gyps fulvus), as well as one in critical condition have been found. Unfortunately, this is just a small portion of the missing birds, and it seems that the number of poisoned individuals will reach 15 – 20, in other words – almost all the pairs that started nests for the first time this year.
The problem is exceptionally serious. Even though poison baits for predators are prohibited, they are openly discussed in the region and many livestock breeders see them as an effective way to solve their problems with wolves.
Environmentalists appeal to institutions, media and the citizens to publicize the problem and to press for emergency measures for its resolution.
‘It is outrageous that 60 years after Griffon Vultures disappeared from this area due to strychnine use for the killing of predators, and after years of efforts and the investment of enormous resources they disappear again due to the same cause: the spreading of poisonous baits for predators – a primitive, and also illegal and absolutely immoral practice,’ says Emilian Stoinov, president of FWFF who dedicated his life to bringing the vultures back in Kresna.
Day by day progress of the case:
March 12, 2017. A team of Pirin National park led by a guard ofTisata Reserve, discovers a Griffon Vulture in a helpless state on the territory of the reserve. The guard collects the bird and transports it in his car to the office of park section Sinanica of Pirin National Park, located in the town of Kresna. The team of FWFF immediately arrives there. The primary examination reveals that the bird’s crop is full. The individual bears a blue wing tag56; it was released by FWFF within the project for the reintroduction of the species in Kresna Gorge. A veterinarian was contacted; he gives the bird atropine as an emergency measure against poisoning with the most common group of pesticides - phosphoroorganic or carbamate pesticides which are known to have the same effect. The bird regurgitates and starts shivering upon human approach. One of its legs is completely paralysed and the toes of the other foot are half-bent. The vet applies atropine, calcium and vitamine B-Complex. According to him, the poison most commonly used against dogs and predators in the area is Lanate, from the group of carbamate pesticides. Lanate is not prohibited in Bulgaria, but it falls under toxicity category 1 and a permit is required for its possession and use. The team of FWFF X-rays the bird in the Blue Cross Clinic in Blagoevgrad. Nothing shows up on the X-ray, so the team are relieved that this is not a case of poisoning and bring the bird to the FWFF center in the village of Rakitna.
March 13, 2017. A signal is received about a dead Griffon Vulture with blue wing tag №9 in the vicinity of the town of Kresna. This is the second bird found, already dead, and FWFF alerts the respective institutions that this is most probably a case of poisoning. The Regional Inspectorate of the Environment and Water at Blagoevgrad summons a committee with representatives from the Food Safety Agency and the police for the field investigation of the case. At the same time the team of FWFF reaches the site and confirms the find. The bird is photographed; it is lying on its underside, with spread wings; its legs are stretched back with half-clenched toes. Given the state of the bird, it is left in place, lifted up on a tree. Information about the case is released to the media. A signal for a poisoned fox is received; the find is inspected with the hope of finding and collecting the hazardous bait. The vulture colony is also inspected to assess the damage caused by the use of poisons. 23 birds are recorded – much less than expected (the average number of indivuduals in the colony is 50 – 60), but no final assumptions are made as it is possible that some of the birds are away roosting.
March 14, 2017. A joint inspection is carried out by representatives of FWFF, NVS, RIEWs, MI - Sandanski, the deputy mayor of the village of Oshtava, a representative of the municipality of Kresna, representatives of the Kresna Police Department. The inspection is documented with photographs and an audit report was issued. A sample is sent to the toxicology laboratory of the National Scientific Veterinary Diagnostic Institute in Sofia; however, in the laboratory they have reagents only for the analysis of pesticides from the group SLF/Karbala. Meanwhile, signals are received about a dead fox in the region of Stara Kresna and a dead dog in the ‘Hulma’ area over Kresna.
March 15, 2017. The team of FWFF receives a signal about a dead wolf near the village of Stara Kresna. The investigation in both areas with signals about poisoned animals bring forth no results; however, it is established that cows and goats graze in the are, and shepherd dogs roam free.
The number of vultures in the following days is about 32 – 33. The brooding pairs, as well as those that prepare to nest, are present. Vulture 56 recovers slowly.
March 20, 2017. The toxicology laboratory confirms that the sample is positive for the FOS/Karbala analysis. Another dead vulture is found.
March 21, 2017. The team of FWFF visits the scene of the last reported dead vulture; they find it, along with one more. The first bird is immature, with no tags, the second bird has the wing tags K3X. The crops of both vultures are full; both are found near the river – apparently they came to drink water after they felt the effect og the poison. Most probably both died on the previous day, March 20, 2017. Another committee of RIEWs and NVS is summoned, but the police refuses to join. The director of Pirin National Park and other officers from the park administration visit the scene and write a report. An autopsy is carried out in the city of Blagoevgrad. A brood patch was discovered on the body of K3X. Both birds have internal bleeding. Samples are sent for analysis to the National Diagnostic Research Veterinary Medical Institute in Sofia. The team of FWFF searches the entire area between Kresna, Vlahi, Oshtava and Stara Kresna.
March 22, 2017. The team of FWFF searches the entire area between Gorna Breznitsa and Krupnik. A dead raven is found on the FWFF feeding site in Rakitna.
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March 23, 2017. The team of FWFF spots a dead vulture with a blue wing tag on the left wing on the cliff over the Hanche restaurant in Kresna Gorge. The mark cannot be made out.
March 24, 2017. Dead ravens are found in the vicinity of the feeding site for the vultures in the Denchov Chukar area near the village of Rakitna.
March 25, 2017. A shepherd finds a dead Griffon Vulture near the village of Rakitna; the bird has a blue wing tag with the letter ‘C’.
March 26, 2017. The team of FWFF receives a signal that hunters have found a dead wolf over the village of Sushitsa. There are concerns the animal is poisoned.
Today, March 27, 2017. No vultures can be seen in Kresna Gorge anymore, apart from the two birds incubating their eggs. The observations reveal that their partners do not come to replace them and tobring them food – there is a high probability that they have been poisoned. Perhaps the two birds survived because they were brooding in their nests and couldn’t go and feed on the poisoned carcass. At that moment one of the eggs hatches. The team of FWFF does not remove the hatchling from the nest (even though they are aware of the great risk of it starving to death), in order to keep the female in the nest as long as possible, thus increasing her chances to avoid poisoning if the poisoned bait is still available.
All photographs are provided by the Fund for Wild Flora and Fauna
For further information:
Emilian Stoynov - Fund for Wild Flora and Fauna, mob. +359 878 573841
