SmartBirds
The female Egyptian vulture, Deni, died as a result of an intentionally placed poison bait.
At the end of last week, the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) team received alarming signals from the GPS transmitter of an Egyptian vulture in the Hrashtovo village area, Krumovgrad municipality. A field check was immediately carried out by the BSPB Anti-poison canine team (Buda and Bars), during which it was confirmed that the Egyptian vulture had died. The circumstances surrounding the death of the bird and the findings on-site led to the conclusion that poisoning was the cause of death.
The BSPB immediately activated all procedures written in the National Action Plan for Combating the Illegal Use of Poisons in the Wild (2021-2030). Alerts were sent to the emergency number 112 and the specialised unit for investigating environmental crimes within the National Police Directorate. An investigation is currently underway, and the necessary expert evaluations have been appointed.
Thanks to the swift intervention of the BSPB Anti-poison canine team, the poisoned bait was neutralised, thus preventing further poisoning of other vultures, as well as other wild or domestic animals.
The male vulture from the pair did not feed on the bait and survived. The pair had been raising a chick, which will no longer be cared for by the solitary male. Because of that, the BSPB team organised a swift operation to reach the nest and rescue the chick. It is now being cared for at the Wildlife Rehabilitation and Breeding Centre – Green Balkans. Once it matures, the bird will be released back into the wild next year by the BSPB team in the Eastern Rhodopes region as part of the long-term efforts to restore the species.
It is worth mentioning that Deni was hatched and raised in 2020 at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre – Green Balkans. That same year, she was released back into the wild by the BSPB team as part of the Restocking Programme for the species in Bulgaria. Deni was part of the “Class of 2020” at the Vulture School. In the spring of 2024, Deni paired with a wild male bird and settled in a nesting territory in the Krumovgrad area. This year marked their first attempt to raise offspring, successfully hatching one chick, which is still too young to fly and was under the devoted care of the pair.
Poison baits represent a serious threat not only to wildlife but also to domestic animals and humans. Their placement in nature is illegal and poses a danger to the health and lives of both animals and local communities. Poisons can contaminate the soil and water sources, leading to an environmental catastrophe. We call on all citizens, livestock breeders, and institutions to remain vigilant and report any suspected cases of poisonous baits.
The use of poison baits remains one of the main threats to the survival of the Egyptian vulture in Bulgaria and the Balkans. The BSPB monitors a large number of protected species using GPS transmitters, allowing for a rapid response in the event of such incidents. This is the second case of poisoned Egyptian vultures this year. In the first incident, the female vulture from the pair also died, but thanks to the quick reaction of our team, the male was saved and later released. Once again, the BSPB calls upon the responsible institutions to take decisive action – effective enforcement of the law, swift investigation of crimes, and bringing the perpetrators to justice. Only 35 pairs of this globally endangered species currently breed in Bulgaria, with 29 of them in the Eastern Rhodopes. The loss of any individual represents a significant blow to the fragile population and international conservation efforts for the species.
