Since the LIFE Gypconnect project began in 2015, to connect the breeding populations of bearded vultures in the Alps to those in the Pyrenees, colleagues in the Aude region (in the southern Pyrenees) have reported of a lone cantankerous adult male who was seen often visiting a feeding station in Hautes Corbières region just west of Carcassone. This long term lone male was thought to be too ill tempered to form a breeding pair.
However, it would seem this was not the case. Colleagues who monitor the activity at the feeding station have reported that this once lone male appears to have taken a mate and have formed a breeding pair, feeding together at the station and displaying typical pairing behaviour.
This is exciting news for the LIFE Gypconnect project as it would reduce the distance between the closest breeding pairs in the two breeding populations in the Alps and the Pyrenees, which is currently 180km, by 35km, bringing the aims of the project one step closer.
Good luck to the pair and if we have any further updates we shall let you know.
The LIFE GypConnect (2015-2021), funded by the EU LIFE fund, and co-funded by the MAVA foundation, 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 population.
