Exactly one hundred years (and eleven days, to be more precise…) after the last bearded vulture in the Alps was killed in the Aosta valley (in 1913!), more than 60 bearded vulture experts, technical staff from several alpine national parks and representatives from NGOs have met this weekend precisely on the spot where the last specimen was shot – the beautiful valley of Rhêmes, in Aosta. The experts and technicians spent two days discussing and planning the next steps in one of the great conservation success stories of the last decades: the reintroduction of the species into the Alps. Spearheaded by the VCF, in a multinational effort covering 4 countries, and with many partners, the bearded vulture alpine reintroduction project brought back this magnificent bird to the alpine valleys -in 2013 22 breeding pairs produced 16 fledged young. Well done to these 60 people, and their organizations, for making this happen. The VCF would like to thank the Regione de Aosta, and the Parco Nazionale Gran Paradiso, for all their support in hosting a very successful annual bearded vulture meeting. See you next year in Mercantour!
