The results of the monitoring of the black vulture population in Mallorca, done by the Agentes de Medio Ambiente of the regional government of the Balearic islands, has revealed that the 2014 breeding season has been excellent, and the population of black vultures there continues to break new records: 16 young fledged (11 in 2013), from 25 pairs (20 last year). The population continues to grow, with 11 new nests identified this year (this species builds sometimes several nests).
The population has been increasing steadily since the early 80s, when the species almost disappeared from Mallorca. The graph below documents the number of nests in which eggs are laid and the number of fledged young.
These excellent results attest to the efforts of the Black Vulture Conservation Foundation, and of the Unidad de Flora y Fauna of the regional government of the Balearic Islands, which have invested a considerable amount of resources in the conservation of this species.
The griffon vultures that have recolonized the island recently have also had a good breeding season in 2014 – at least 13 pairs raised 9 young. A group of griffons arrived on the island after a big storm in 2008, and have started to breed there in 2012.