SmartBirds
Photo: © Stuart Minnikin
Another seven Cinereous Vultures were released in the Eastern Rhodopes on October 22 as part of the ongoing efforts to restore the species in Bulgaria. The teams of the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) and the Rewilding Rhodopes Foundation successfully released the fourth group of birds, bringing the total number of released vultures to 27.
The release process is gradual and designed to minimize stress for the birds — the aviary door is opened slowly, and food is provided nearby to support their initial adaptation. The vultures arrived in the Eastern Rhodopes in May this year after being transferred from the rehabilitation and breeding center of GREFA (Grupo de Rehabilitación de la Fauna Autóctona), a Spanish NGO specializing in the care and recovery of rare wild birds. Before their release, the vultures were tagged with new GPS transmitters, allowing the team to monitor their movements, behavior, and adaptation to their new home.
Photo: © Desislava Kostadinova
“Each newly released vulture is individually marked and microchipped, enabling us to collect valuable data on their lives in the wild,” said Dr. Dobromir Dobrev, Project Manager at BSPB. Data from previous releases already show encouraging results. Currently, 20 vultures continue to inhabit the region, with seven already occupying nests — some as pairs formed entirely of released individuals, and others as mixed pairs with local vultures from Greece. The birds feed successfully both at supplementary feeding sites and in the wild, often gathering together with the Griffon Vultures that inhabit the area.
Photo: © Stuart Minnikin
The released vultures mainly explore the Eastern Rhodopes and the nearby Sakar Mountain, but some have been recorded traveling great distances — reaching Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine, Romania, Greece, Albania, and North Macedonia. “Despite these long journeys, they spend most of their time in the release area — a clear sign of successful adaptation,” the experts note.
The project will continue with at least four more releases planned by 2029, and the team remains optimistic about future breeding success. “The birds are showing stable behavior and are finding partners. If this trend continues, we expect a significant increase in breeding pairs in the coming years,” added Dr. Dobrev.
The reintroduction activities are part of the LIFE project “Restoration of the Cinereous vulture population and trophic chain in the Bulgarian-Greek cross-border region“,implemented on the Bulgarian side by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds in collaboration with Rewilding Rhodopes Foundation. The project (No. 101148254 — LIFE23-NAT-BG-LIFE Rhodope Vulture) is co-financed by the European Union’s LIFE program and Rewilding Europe. The Cinereous Vultures are provided by the Spanish NGO GREFA (Grupo de Rehabilitación de la Fauna Autóctona), which has long been working for the rescue and rehabilitation of injured wild birds.
