In the world of Bearded Vulture captive-breeding, there are countless special birds that play an important role in conservation behind the scenes. One such bird is Kajazo. Even though he is human-imprinted and therefore can’t be released in the wild, Kajazo is fulfilling his role in the EEP programme as a dedicated foster parent.
Kajazo’s story
Kajazo hatched in the Almaty Zoo in Kazakhstan – a facility that was part of the EEP network in the past but later excluded due to hand-rearing and selling the chicks. The reason why hand-rearing is not recommended is because it can lead to imprints. With visual contact to humans, the imprinted birds recognise humans as their conspecifics, and try pair bonding with them when they arrive sexual maturity. This is exactly what happened with Kajazo.
Kajazo doesn’t recognise other Bearded Vultures as their conspecifics, making pair bonding and reproduction impossible. This made him an ideal candidate for the foster father role within the program. He became the third imprinted male to be paired with humans, following in the footsteps of two previous males, Mr. President and Gualay, who were also exceptional foster fathers. These imprinted birds, although not suitable for reintroduction into the wild neither to reproduce descendants, offer great value as surrogate parents for orphaned or abandoned chicks in the breeding program.
Alex and Kajazo
Kajazo and Àlex “became a pair” in 2009. Àlex Llopis, who is the Captive Breeding Vultures Manager at the Vulture Conservation Foundation (VCF) and also coordinates the Bearded Vulture EEP, plays a crucial role in Kajazo’s life. During the breeding season, from September through to February or March, Àlex spends about an hour each day with Kajazo.
Each autumn, the team at the Vallcallent facility provides materials like sticks and wool for the vultures to build their nests. Àlex and Kajazo collaborate to construct the nest, and after a few weeks, a dummy egg is placed inside. Bearded Vultures share incubation duties, so both Àlex and Kajazo take turns “incubating” the egg, simulating the natural process.
When a chick hatches at the centre in February or March, it needs to be introduced to a Bearded Vulture nest within a week. Every year, one of these chicks is placed in the nest that Àlex and Kajazo have built. The goal is for Kajazo to accept the chick as his own and act as a foster parent. At this point, Àlex stops visiting the aviary to ensure the chick does not become imprinted on humans, allowing Kajazo to take over the role of father.
Kajazo’s role as a foster father
Kajazo’s role as a foster father is indispensable to the success of the Bearded Vulture’s breeding program. His bond with humans means that, under the guidance of expert caretakers, he can adopt and raise chicks, giving them the critical care they need to thrive. In fact, Kajazo has successfully raised a total of 10 chicks so far, proving himself to be an outstanding and reliable foster parent.
One of the key challenges in vulture conservation is that many breeding pairs lay two eggs but can only raise one chick naturally. In such cases, the second egg is at risk of not being cared for. While some pairs can handle “double adoptions,” this is not the norm, and special circumstances are required. This is where foster parents like Kajazo come in. His ability to “adopt” and care for chicks that would otherwise be abandoned has made him a valuable asset in the program.
Moments of comedy and connection
A recent interaction between Kajazo and his human companion Àlex perfectly demonstrates the strong connection they share. In this video, Kajazo arrives at the nest where Àlex is working and immediately “tells” him to move aside. In his own way, Kajazo makes it clear that he wants to add wool and sticks to the nest, taking charge of his responsibilities as a father figure. Àlex, understanding Kajazo’s intent without hesitation, moves aside and allows the bird to settle in.
This moment, while amusing, also highlights the deep understanding between Kajazo and his human companion.
Kajazo may not have had the chance to learn from his own kind, but through his role as a foster father, he has become an important part of the Bearded Vulture’s return to the skies of Europe. He ensures that many chicks, once at risk of abandonment, have a chance at life in the wild—a chance to fly free in the mountains of Europe.
Vallcalent Specialized Breeding Centre
The Centre de Fauna de Vallcalent is property of the Generalitat de Catalonia. Thanks to an agreement the VCF made with Generalitat de Catalonia, the VCF is managing the Bearded Vulture Specialised Breeding Unit within the centre. Following bird distribution strategy between specialized breeding centres, this Unit plays a crucial role inside the EEP, because it specializes on artificial incubation, receiving the pairs which are reproducing very badly or not at all in other entities and are requiring technical support.
