SmartBirds
© Iordanka Lukanova/BSPB
This past weekend, we marked the beginning of the new LIFE project, “Restoration of the Cinereous vulture population and trophic chain in the Bulgarian-Greek cross-border region,” (“LIFE Rhodope Vulture”) with a three-day Vulture Festival organized by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) in partnership with the Rewilding Rhodopes Foundation. The event, which took place in Madzharovo, was attended by more than 300 people from all over the country, some of whom are already regular visitors to the festival.
The program kicked off memorably with performances by the bands “Zor MaZhor” and the Karandila Orchestra. “On behalf of the organizers – the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds and the Rewilding Rhodopes Foundation – I would like to thank you for choosing to celebrate with us these very important occasions: the Unification of Bulgaria, the 50th anniversary of the town of Madzharovo, and International Vulture Awareness Day. We hope that with this festival, we will set the beginning of a successful and fruitful LIFE project “LIFE Rhodope Vulture” shared Dr. Dobromir Dobrev from BSPB, the project manager, during the official opening.
© Dimitar Gradinarov/BSPB
Throughout the weekend, over a hundred children participated in various games and activities dedicated to the celebration. Young nature enthusiasts took an active part in the game “Eco-Adventurers in Search of Vultures,” where they searched for interesting facts about the birds’ lives, and the most persistent and curious were rewarded with prizes.Over both days, visitors had the opportunity to explore the BSPB Nature Conservation Centre “Eastern Rhodopes”, the festival’s host, and take part in specially organized birdwatching sessions and walks in the area around the Center.
© Iordanka Lukanova/BSPB
Among the youngest participants, the theatrical adventure “The Wizard’s Legacy” was particularly captivating. The story created and performed by the children, which featured an unusual and intriguing friendship between a vulture and a blue whale, proved to be especially moving.
© Iordanka Lukanova/BSPB
A special highlight of the program was the official presentation of the new LIFE project “Restoration of the Cinereous vulture population and trophic chain in the Bulgarian-Greek cross-border region,” (“LIFE Rhodope Vulture”) to the festival guests. The project is coordinated by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB), with Rewilding Rhodopes as a partner in Bulgaria. Over the next five years (2024–2029), the project team will work intensively to establish a new colony of the species in the Bulgarian part of the Rhodopes and to protect the only existing breeding colony in Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli National Park in Greece. The project also aims to mitigate the main threats to Black vultures in the Rhodopes, including poisoning, poaching, and collisions with energy infrastructure. Additionally, the project includes measures to increase the food base for the Black vultures in the project area and to prevent and mitigate human-wildlife conflicts, in which vultures on both sides of the border often fall victim. Furthermore, special attention will be paid to developing a sustainable economy that benefits both local communities and nature.
© Nelly Naydenova/ Rewilding Rhodopes Foundation
The festival is part of the project “Restoration of the Cinereous vulture population and trophic chain in the Bulgarian-Greek cross-border region,” (Project No. 101148254 — LIFE23-NAT-BG-LIFE Rhodope Vulture), co-financed by the LIFE program of the European Union and Rewilding Europe. The celebration is also supported by the project “From Iron Curtain to Green Belt: Restoring Ecological Networks in Southeast Bulgaria”, financed under the Endangered Landscapes Programme (ELSP).
© Iordanka Lukanova/BSPB
