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The six Cinereous Vultures (Aegypius monachus) that were at the acclimatisation station in the Douro Internacional Nature Park (PNDI) when the large wildfire broke out on 15 August in this protected area have already returned to the facility.
La crowdfunding campaign launched by Palombar, within the framework of the LIFE Aegypius Return project, to support the recovery of the Douro Internacional Cinereous Vulture colony – the most isolated and fragile in the country – has been fundamental in resuming conservation efforts.
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Everyone’s support is essential to reach the target of €30,000, which will cover all needs and allow the fight for the species’ survival to continue. So far, about 35% (€10,629) of the necessary amount has been raised to address the damage caused by the fire.
What was achieved thanks to everyone’s support?
Thanks to the solidarity of all those who contributed, it was possible to return to the acclimatisation station (located in Fornos, Mogadouro) the six Cinereous Vultures that had been there when the fire broke out. To protect them, the birds had been removed by Palombar, in coordination with the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF), and transferred to CIARA – Environmental Interpretation and Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, in Felgar (Torre de Moncorvo). At this centre, they received all necessary care until it was safe for them to return, which happened on 10 September.
Before being transported back, the vultures underwent a health check carried out by veterinarians from the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre of the Veterinary Hospital of the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (CRAS HV-UTAD). On that day, ICNF rangers were also present. The six Cinereous Vultures were fitted with GPS-GSM transmitters by a team from the Instituto Mixto de Investigación en Biodiversidad (IMIB – University of Oviedo-CSIC-Principality of Asturias, Spain), which collaborates with the LIFE Aegypius Return project. The information provided by these devices is vital to ensure effective monitoring and enable quick interventions in risky situations.
The funds raised through the campaign made it possible to purchase equipment and carry out the necessary work to secure the return of the vultures to the station. These actions included: assessing the impact of the fire on the Douro Internacional colony; preparing the acclimatisation facility to receive the birds again; and purchasing surveillance cameras to ensure continuous real-time monitoring. Many of the project’s previously acquired devices had been destroyed during the wildfire.
Back at the station, the six Cinereous Vultures showed clear signs of familiarity, displaying behaviours of recognition and well-being. The landscape is still marked black by the fire, but hope rises again with the return of these giants of the sky to their natural habitat.
The campaign has also funded monitoring, feeding reinforcement and an emergency plan
In addition to returning the six Cinereous Vultures to the acclimatisation station, donations have already supported several essential actions, including:
- removal of the support container destroyed by the fire;
- cleaning of the Fornos Feeding Station for Scavenger Birds (CAAN);
- reinforcement of food supply at the CAAN sites of the PNDI managed by Palombar, thereby increasing food availability for vultures throughout the fire-affected area;
- in situ monitoring of juveniles and adults of the Douro Internacional colony affected by the fire;
- meetings with the local community to implement sowing and feeding points in the burned area;
- identification of areas and trees for the installation of new nesting platforms in the colony next fall;
- development of the emergency plan currently being implemented in the PNDI colony, integrating all post-fire conservation actions.
Keep helping the Cinereous Vulture so we can reach the campaign goal. Make your donation here. Together, we can save the species from extinction and restore the Douro Internacional colony.
About LIFE Aegypius Return
The LIFE Aegypius Return project is co-financed by the European Union’s LIFE programme. Its success depends on the involvement of all the relevant stakeholders, and the collaboration of the partners: the Vulture Conservation Foundation (VCF), the coordinating beneficiary, and the local partners Palombar – Conservação da Natureza e do Património Rural, Herdade da Contenda, Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves, Liga para a Protecção da Natureza, Associação Transumância e Natureza, Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre, Guarda Nacional Republicana y Associação Nacional de Proprietários Rurais Gestão Cinegética e Biodiversidade.
