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Cyprus welcomes 15 Griffon Vultures from Spain to help struggling population

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The Critically Endangered Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) population in Cyprus needs a significant boost to ensure its survival and long-term sustainability. That’s why we have been implementing concrete conservation actions. A key one is restocking the local population by transporting vultures from Spain and releasing them into the wild.

A special arrival from Spain

Last Friday marked a big step in this effort. A group of 15 Griffon Vultures arrived in Cyprus from Spain, donated by the regional government of Andalusia (Junta de Andalucía). Each one had been rescued from the wild and rehabilitated at Mundo Park Zoo in Seville to ensure they were strong enough for the journey.

Starting their journey from Spain to Cyprus © VCF

The transport was carefully coordinated by the Vulture Conservation Foundation, with funding from BirdLife Cyprus to continue the mission of the LIFE with Vultures project, aiming to save Griffon Vultures in Cyprus through concrete conservation actions.

The project initially foreseen two transports of 15 birds each time. However, an additional transport was arranged within the project last year, followed by the latest one, which is outside the project. In total, 59 Spanish birds have been successfully transported to Cyprus.

Preparing for life in Cyprus’ wild

Fitting the birds with unique identification rings in Cyprus
Fitting the vultures with unique identification rings in the acclimatisation aviary in Cyprus © BirdLife Cyprus

Once the 15 vultures landed in Cyprus, the Game and Fauna service received them and took them straight to the special acclimatisation aviary in Limassol. There, they checked their condition with the help of a veterinarian and equipped them with unique identification rings.

Adjusting to a new environment isn’t simple, so the vultures will stay in the aviary for at least six months. This gives them time to interact with other vultures and slowly adapt to the local conditions. Conservationists will be keeping a close eye on them, monitoring their health and behaviour throughout the process.

Before the vultures are released, each one will be fitted with a GPS transmitter. This allows experts to track their movements, ensuring they settle in well, understanding their behaviour and helping them respond quickly if a bird gets into trouble.

The 15 Griffon Vultures settling in their acclimatisation aviary at Limassol © BirdLife Cyprus

Why this matters for vultures in Cyprus

The Griffon Vulture in Cyprus is hanging by a thread. Without help, the population simply won’t survive, and could disappear in the next 15 years. A study by the Vulture Conservation Foundation found that for the species to have a real chance of survival, at least 200 vultures are needed—anything less, and their future remains uncertain. Right now, only 37 remain, making them the smallest vulture population in all of Europe.

Even if poisoning—one of their biggest threats—were completely stopped, it would still take over 55 years for the population to recover on its own. That’s simply too long. Every new bird introduced into the wild increases their odds of survival, which is why conservationists have been working hard to reinforce the population. Spain, home to over 30,000 pairs of Griffon Vultures (roughly 90-95% of Europe’s total population), has been a key partner in this effort.

This reinforcement programme isn’t new—it actually began in 2012 when the local population had dropped to just 8-10 birds, and the GYPAS project was launched to bring vultures from Crete and continued with the LIFE with Vultures project in 2019. Without these interventions, the species might have already vanished from the island. But the work isn’t over. Griffon Vultures reproduce slowly, and without conservation work, they won’t be able to bounce back on their own.

The LIFE with Vultures project

Life with vultures logo square

LIFE with Vultures is a targeted conservation project for the protection of the Griffon Vulture in Cyprus. In this four-year endeavor (2019-2023), BirdLife Cyprus, the Game and Fauna ServiceTerra Cypria – The Cyprus Conservation Foundation and the Vulture Conservation Foundation have joined forces to tackle the main threats facing the Griffon Vulture and prevent Cyprus’ most threatened bird of prey from going extinct. The project has a 1,375,861 Euro budget and is co-funded (60%) by the EU’s LIFE programme

LwV Life With Vultures funder partner logos

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