As part of the communication and awareness activities included in the LIFE GYPCONNECT, a new vulture trail has just been opened in the Diois region of the Vercors, funded by the LIFE project and also by own funds from the Parc Naturel Régional du Vercors.
The trail includes several modern and attractive displays that convey information (in French and English) about the 4 species of vultures in the park, including some focus on the bearded vulture in the area where the species is being released, as part of the LIFE GYPCONNECT (sentier des vautours d’Archiane)
Led by the League pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO), in partnership with the VCF, Vautours en Baronnies, Centre National d’ Informations Toxicologiques Vétérinaires, Electricité Réseau Distribution France, Parc National des Cévennes, Parc Naturel Régional du Vercors, LPO Aude, and the Université Pierre et Marie Curie – Paris 6, the LIFE GYPCONNECT project aims to establish a breeding population of bearded vultures in the Massif Central, as well as in the Pre-Alps, through reintroduction, and promoting dispersal movements between the Alps and the Pyrenean populations.
In 2016-2017 13 young bearded vultures were released in the project area, 6 in the Grands Causses/Massif Central, 5 in Baronnies – the first time that bearded vultures were released in this pre-alpine chain, and 2 in Vercors. The project also includes the establishment of supplementary feeding points to try to attract bearded vultures from the Pyrenees to cross the Aude valley.
Photos: LPO/LIFE GYPCONNECT