During the European Vulture Conference, leading professionals in the field of vulture conservation will come together to share the latest insights of vulture conservation and research. The conference will be Europe’s largest gathering of vulture conservationists from Europe and beyond, in the beautiful region of Algarve, Portugal, for the first four days of October. One of the renowned experts joining us is Dr Iñigo Fajardo, who will be discussing his expertise on the fight against wildlife crime.
Dr Iñigo Fajardo dedicated his life to study and combat wildlife crime. He is a wildlife biologist that specialises in forensic work to fight against illegal poisoning and wildlife crime, collaborating with law enforcement authorities across Andalucía, Spain.
Join us at the European Vulture Conference and you will hear first hand about wildlife crime from a pioneer in this field. You will also be able to learn about the latest vulture conservation research on various topics covering all four vulture species found in Europe.
Wildlife crime is detrimental to vultures
Vultures face many threats on an everyday basis, with one of the key ones being wildlife crime. Crime against vultures comes in many forms, from illegal persecution to wildlife poisoning – the biggest danger vultures face in Europe. According to a new study, over 2,300 vultures have died during the past 20 years in the Balkans alone due to illegal poisoning. In most cases, vultures are not even the primary targets of this practice, which is detrimental to their population. We, here at the Vulture Conservation Foundation, fight this head-on with our Balkan Anti-Poisoning Project along with our partners.
Dr Iñigo Fajardo’s fight against wildlife crime
Dr Iñigo Fajardo is a wildlife biologist who coordinates a regional programme that fights illegal wildlife poisoning in Andalusia and works with the police at forensic wildlife crime investigations. He is an expert in carrying out forensic and police investigations associated with poisoning and poaching. He uses techniques like canine units that detect and recover poison baits as evidence. His work greatly impacts the protection of vultures against crimes.
Contribution at the conference
During the conference, Dr Iñigo Fajardo will give a keynote presentation discussing how wildlife crime analysis contributes to vulture conservation.
Wildlife crime analysis is often poorly or not implemented at all in wildlife conservation across Europe. Even though poisoning and shooting are frequent causes of vulture deaths, very few cases investigated by European police bodies end up in court convictions, despite being categorised as crimes in most European Penal Codes. Dr Iñigo Fajardo will shed some light on the importance of wildlife-crime analysis to help vulture conservation, especially in the case of endangered species and in critical locations.
The European Vulture Conference
1-4 October
Algarve, Portugal
For four days in October, we will be bringing together scientists, conservationists and the public in Algarve, Portugal for an international congress on vultures. We will be looking at the latest research and conservation studies about vultures in Europe and beyond, in our first European Vulture Conference. On the last day of the conference, we will venture out and explore the local nature. The Algarve is known for its wetlands, woodlands and other habitats that are rich in biodiversity, so get ready for a fantastic day out in nature!
We received many interesting abstracts and are now in the process of finalising the official programme. The conference will host many researchers, scientists and conservation technicians that will cover various topics on vulture conservation. So join us, for a unique opportunity to learn the latest vulture conservation findings and to experience the local wildlife with the expert guides.
Stay upto date with the latest news and announcements of key-note speakers by following our Facebook Event Page and #Vultures2019 on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
