{"id":40267,"date":"2025-06-12T17:10:29","date_gmt":"2025-06-12T14:10:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/4vultures.org\/?p=40267"},"modified":"2025-06-12T17:10:29","modified_gmt":"2025-06-12T14:10:29","slug":"bearded-vulture-release-in-andalusia-meet-poqueira-polarda-and-aznaitin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/4vultures.org\/es\/blog\/bearded-vulture-release-in-andalusia-meet-poqueira-polarda-and-aznaitin\/","title":{"rendered":"Bearded Vulture release in Andalusia: Meet Poqueira, Polarda, and Aznait\u00edn\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

On the rugged cliffs of the Sierra Nevada, three young Bearded Vultures<\/a>\u2014Poqueira, Polarda, and Aznait\u00edn\u2014stretch their wings in the Andalusian sun. Recently released into the wild, these three females mark a significant milestone\u2014the 29th year since the Bearded Vulture reintroduction programme in Andalusia<\/a> started. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their names, chosen from iconic natural landmarks in Granada, Almer\u00eda and Ja\u00e9n, reflect a deepening connection between the species and the Andalusian landscape\u2014a bond built through decades of collaboration, scientific dedication, and community support. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u00a9 \u00c1lex C\u00e1mara – Europa Press\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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The international trio from Spain, Austria and Germany <\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n

On 9 June 2025, the Junta de Andaluc\u00eda and the Vulture Conservation Foundation (VCF), together with partners, launched the 19th annual Bearded Vulture (Gypeatus Barbatus)<\/em> release. The release of Poqueira, Polarda and Aznait\u00edn in Sierra Nevada<\/a> marked not only the beginning of a new breeding season, but also the 10th anniversary of the first wild-hatched chick, Esperanza<\/a>, from reintroduced parents in the region. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hatched in March 2025 at three different centres of the Bearded Vulture EEP<\/a> captive breeding network \u2014 the Bearded Vulture Specialised Breeding Unit Vallcalent (Spain), Tierpark Berlin (Germany), and Richard Faust Zentrum (Austria) \u2014 the three chicks represent international collaboration for the species\u2019 conservation.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the release event, the chicks were placed in cliffside artificial nests at an altitude of 2,000 metres near Monachil and D\u00edlar. There, they will be raised without any human contact\u2014an approach designed to help them bond with the release site, imprint on their natural environment, and eventually return to breed as adults <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u00a9 \u00c1lex C\u00e1mara – Europa Press\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Expanding to a new release site <\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Since the first reintroductions, the success has been steady and 2024 marked a milestone with a record number of breeding pairs<\/a>. Today, there are several known breeding territories, including Cazorla, Segura, Las Villas, Castril, and Sierra Nevada. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2024 expansion into a new release site at Sierra Nevad<\/a>a proved immediately promising, with 10 individuals observed soaring over the high peaks within the last year. Now, the momentum continues with plans to establish another new release site in the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park in C\u00e1diz\u2014the southernmost Bearded Vulture reintroduction site in the European Union.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This move could play a pivotal role in connecting European and North African populations, bolstering genetic diversity and resilience. Grazalema, which spans over 53,000 hectares across C\u00e1diz and Malaga, offers ideal conditions: rugged mountain ecosystems, strong interconnectivity with nearby ranges, a stable supply of wild ungulates and scavenger species, and deep-rooted local support for conservation. Declared Andalusia\u2019s first natural park in 1985, the area is also home to the endemic Spanish fir (Abies pinsapo<\/em>) and remarkable biodiversity.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guadalent\u00edn: One of the Europe\u2019s most important captive-breeding centres <\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n

At the heart of this conservation success is the Bearded Vulture Breeding Centre Guadalent\u00edn, managed by the VCF in collaboration with the Junta de Andaluc\u00eda. Located at 1,300 metres in the Cazorla Natural Park, the centre is a key facility within the European Bearded Vulture Captive Breeding Network (EEP).<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since its foundation, Guadalent\u00edn has produced 128 chicks, with 90 hatched in the last decade alone. Its innovative double adoption methods allow it to raise chicks from other centers, boosting survival rates and overall genetic health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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