SmartBirds
Photo: © Dimitar Gradinarov/BSPB
Birds from the extremely rare Egyptian vulture species, hatched in the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, and Bulgaria, were fitted with satellite transmitters at the so-called “Vulture School” of the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds near the village of Potocnitsa in the Eastern Rhodopes. This is the largest group of young Egyptian vultures ever prepared for release into the wild.
Two of the birds were donated to Bulgaria by the British organisation Horstmann Trust, while another two were hatched at Ostrava Zoo, which has supported the return of vultures to Bulgaria for many years. The remaining birds were hatched and raised by breeding pairs at the Wildlife Rescue Centre of Green Balkans, including chicks rescued from wild nests and hand-reared at the centre.
Photo: © Dimitar Gradinarov/BSPB
Before being equipped with satellite transmitters for future monitoring, children from the schools in Potocnitsa, Zvezdel, and Strandzhevo became symbolic godparents of the young vultures. They also witnessed the transmitter fitting and final veterinary examinations carried out by the Wildlife Rescue Centre team.
Among the names of the future wild inhabitants of Bulgaria are Kosyo, Devina, Dzhansu, Emre, Sara, and Zvezdets. One of the birds was named David by the BSPB team in honour of the 100th anniversary of the world-famous naturalist David Attenborough, while the birds arriving from the United Kingdom were named Manfred and Annette.
Photo: © Dimitar Gradinarov/BSPB
“Vulture School” is a programme coordinated by BSPB in close cooperation with Green Balkans, Prague Zoo, and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria. The initiative prepares captive-bred Egyptian vultures for life in the wild. Over a two-month period, the birds stay in a large aviary where they observe wild vultures nearby, learn what food to find in nature, practise landing on trees, and improve their flying skills. In the first weeks after release, they will be monitored by BSPB experts and volunteers.
The event was funded by Heidelberg-Bulgaria, BirdLife International, and the “Green Belt of Southeastern Bulgaria” project, financed by the Endangered Landscapes Programme (ELP), which is managed by the Cambridge Conservation Initiative — a collaboration between the University of Cambridge and leading international organizations focused on biodiversity conservation. The University and the Endangered Landscapes Programme are supported by Arcadia, a charitable fund of Peter Baldwin and Lisbet Rausing.
The Egyptian vulture is one of the world’s most endangered bird species — globally considered even more threatened than the giant panda. Only 36 breeding pairs currently remain in Bulgaria.
Photo: © Dimitar Gradinarov/BSPB
Just last week, the international project “Egyptian Vulture New LIFE”, coordinated by BSPB, was nominated for the European Commission’s LIFE Awards as one of Europe’s most successful conservation initiatives. The project unites 22 partners from 14 countries across Europe, Asia, and Africa in support of the globally endangered Egyptian vulture.
Support the nomination by voting here: https://www.lifeawards.eu/project/egyptian-vulture-new-life/
