Jens and Hanne Eriksen – who run the www.BirdsOman.com website – told us that last weekend they counted a staggering 750 Egyptian vultures in Oman: 640+ at Al Multaqa rubbish dump (near Muscat), and then another 100 at the bearch at Qurayyat later in the day.
Oman is a stronghold for this globally endangered species, as it holds a sizeable breeding population – including the second most dense breeding population in the world (after Socotra), on Masirah Island, and receiving thousands of Egyptian vultures from Europe and the Western Asia.
A program of research and conservation of Egyptian vultures has been developed in Oman since 2012 by a partnership that includes the government, NGOs, private consultants and volunteers. That work has included surveys of breeding vultures, surveys of rubbish dumps, satellite-tracking of individual birds, and a film. You can see some of the results here http://egyptianvultureoman.blogspot.co.at/. The VCF has been supporting our colleagues in Oman in their efforts.
Photo: Waheed AlFazari (Al Multaqa) and Hanne Eriksen (immature Egyptian vulture)
