On 8 January 2020, a young Griffon Vulture arrived at Le Centre de Sauvegarde de Buoux in Vaucluse. The vulture was found near Toulon on 7 January, in the commune of La Valette-du-Var. Weakened, he is currently regaining strength in the centre’s aviaries before his release back to the wild in Verdon.
An unusual visitor to La Valette-du-Var
The young Griffon Vulture was first seen on 7 January, perched on a roof in the commune of the Var. A mother and her daughter then found the vulture in the middle of a road, on the Mas des Terres rouges. It is an unusual sight in the city since Griffon Vultures rather live at high altitudes in France. Young birds often leave the mountain ranges in search of new territory, causing them to move away from their natural environment. So, the individual probably ended up in the city due to the reason stated above.
Rehabilitation
Thankfully, after examination, it seems that the vulture does not suffer from anything serious. The animal is weak, possibly due to its wandering, but it is not injured. Now, the bird is in good care with the goal to return to its natural environment soon.
Griffon Vultures in Verdon
For more than 20 years, LPO Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur has been carrying out actions to safeguard vultures in Verdon.
Conservation actions reintroduced the Griffon Vulture in Verdon, with the population numbers growing. The vulture was reintroduced from 1999 to 2004 and started breeding since 2002. The colony this year includes 220 breeding pairs and 157 juveniles that are often ringed before leaving the nest.
The Griffon Vulture rescued will be ringed before being released in Verdon in a few weeks.
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