So far, a total of 30 pairs of bearded vultures in the captive breeding network have laid a total of 47 eggs – this compares with 58 eggs laid in total last year from 36 pairs.
The first hatching happened last Saturday in the Guadalentin specialized captive breeding centre, managed by the Fundation Gyapetus and financed by the Junta de Andalusia – and yesterday one of the eggs laid by the pair in Yerevan zoo – one of our newest partners in the captive breeding network – has also hatched! (see photo).
Bearded vultures are one of the earliest breeders in Europe – their timing perfectly adapted to have chicks in early spring, when many of the mountain herbivores on which they feed (when they die) have their first births – and birth complications!
The Vulture Conservation Foundation is the coordinator of the bearded vulture European Endangered Species Programme (EEP), a collaborative and coordinated network of almost 40 zoos (including La Garenne), wildlife parks, specialized breeding centers and private collections, that aims to breed the species in captivity for conservation purposes. Young resulting from captive breeding are then released in our reintroduction projects in the Alps, GypConnect (Grands Causses, Baronnies and Vercors; France) and Andalucía.
Over the next days, new chicks will hatch – while late pairs are still laying. We do hope this will be a good breeding season – meaning more young for reintroduction!
Photo – Yerevan Zoo
