Sara made it to the winter grounds – she is in Niger!

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After crossing the Mediterranean in a record 540km flight from Sicily to Libya, Sara continued its migration south, and after flying hundreds of kilometres across the Sahara desert through Libya and Algeria it has arrived in Niger, where it will probably stay for the winter – a 4000km trip that started on the 23rd August and has ended one month later (21 September).

Sara is a captive-bred young Egyptian vulture released in the end of August in Puglia. It had been released in southern Italy together with Agata, as part of an experiment to test procedures and get crucial data on the feasibility and relevance of captive-breeding and restocking/reintroduction projects with this species. Sara and Agata were both tagged, and their movements closely followed.

While Agata drowned in the Med in the relatively short sea crossing from Sicily to Cao Bon (Tunisia), Sara made it to Libya, after having crossed already the Jonic sea (140km) from the heel of Italy to Calabria.

Sara is no doubt in very good condition, as it had been seen feeding at a site near san Luca in Calabria by Carmelo Fiore, where there were many carcasses (see photos).

Please check our website for regular updates about Sara!

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