{"id":35833,"date":"2023-08-17T10:41:47","date_gmt":"2023-08-17T07:41:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/4vultures.org\/?p=35833"},"modified":"2025-05-05T15:46:49","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T12:46:49","slug":"cinereous-vulture-geres-released-in-portugal-after-recovery-from-a-gunshot-wound","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/4vultures.org\/es\/blog\/cinereous-vulture-geres-released-in-portugal-after-recovery-from-a-gunshot-wound\/","title":{"rendered":"Cinereous Vulture “Ger\u00eas” released in Portugal after recovery from a gunshot wound"},"content":{"rendered":"

On 10 August, a Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus<\/a><\/em>) was released in Portugal after being rehabilitated from a shot on its wing. Ger\u00eas, named after the place where he was found (Ger\u00eas National Park), is the second Cinereous Vulture released in the Douro International Nature Park within the LIFE Aegypius Return project<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cinereous Vulture Ger\u00eas released in the Douro International Nature Park in 2023 \u00a9 Palombar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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A fractured wing and multiple lead shots<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On October 2022, Cinereous Vulture Ger\u00eas was found by the Instituto de Conserva\u00e7\u00e3o da Natureza e das Florestas<\/a>‘ (ICNF) team from the Wildlife Recovery Centre of Ger\u00eas (CRFS) with a wing fracture after being shot. The bird was transferred to the\u00a0Wild Animal Recovery Centre of the Veterinary Hospital of the University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro\u00a0<\/a>(CRAS-HVUTAD<\/strong>), where it underwent orthopaedic surgery and supportive treatment. X-ray examination showed the presence of several pellets in the wounded wing, thus confirming the cause of his ingress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The vulture responded positively to the treatment, and the fracture healed in the expected time. However, \u201cas Ger\u00eas lost some of its secondary feathers, which are essential for efficient flight, he had a prolonged stay in the recovery centre, waiting for new healthy feathers to grow in\u201d, explained Filipa Loureiro, a veterinarian at CRAS-UTAD. The months of recovery also included physiotherapy and motor rehabilitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ger\u00eas after being found \u00a9 CRFS<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Xray after surgery \u00a9 CRAS-UTAD<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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From rehabilitation to release: Cinereous Vulture Ger\u00eas flies again<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Recovering from fractured wings is a long process that requires the bird to master the art of flying again. Ger\u00eas was transferred to Environmental Interpretation and Animal Recovery Centre<\/a>\u00a0(CIARA<\/strong>) in Torre de Moncorvo, which has a large flight tunnel, to practice his flying skills and recover physical shape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Once Ger\u00eas showed signs of being fully recovered, he was fitted with a GPS transmitter to enable the monitoring team to follow his movements once he is back in the wild. Finally, on 10 August, several bird lovers, LIFE Aegypius Return project partners and all entities involved in rescuing and rehabilitating Ger\u00eas gathered at Miradouro do Carrascalinho (Freixo de Espada \u00e0 Cinta) to witness his release\u2014a fantastic viewpoint located at the heart of the Douro International Nature Park. Ger\u00eas became the second Cinereous Vulture released on this site under the project LIFE Aegypius Return, following the steps of Zimbro<\/a>, a Cinereous Vulture released in March 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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