SmartBirds
Photos: Anton Stamenov – BSPB
A team from the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) has transported a young Egyptian Vulture to the Wildlife Rescue Centre of Green Balkans in Stara Zagora, where the bird will be raised until it is ready for release into the wild next year.
The young vulture hatched in July – more than a month later than is usual for the species. As a result, it was expected to leave the nest in mid-September, just as Egyptian Vultures begin their long and perilous migration to Africa.
More than 20 years of BSPB’s experience in studying Egyptian Vultures has shown that late-fledging young birds often do not have enough time to acquire the necessary skills and build up sufficient physical condition for the journey ahead. This significantly reduces their chances of surviving their first migration.
For this reason, in such cases young birds are taken from their nests and raised in a controlled environment. In spring next year, the vulture will be released back into the wild as part of the “Vulture School” programme. This will give it more time to grow stronger, develop, and build up the strength it needs for an independent life.
Until then, the young bird will be cared for by the veterinarians and specialists at the Green Balkans Wildlife Rescue Centre. They will monitor its development and make sure it is in good condition when the time comes for it to return to the wild.
This timely intervention increases the young vulture’s chances of surviving its first migration and, one day, joining the wild population of the species.
The activities are financially supported by Heidelberg Materials Bulgaria, BirdLife International, and the “Green Belt of Southeast Bulgaria” project, funded by the Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme (ELP). The programme is managed by the Cambridge Conservation Initiative – a partnership between the University of Cambridge and leading international conservation organisations working to protect biodiversity. The University of Cambridge and the Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme are supported by Arcadia, the charitable fund of Peter Baldwin and Lisbet Rausing.
