{"id":6232,"date":"2019-05-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-05-01T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4vultures.org\/blog\/cinereous-vultures-on-the-move-across-the-balkan-peninsula\/"},"modified":"2021-03-17T09:30:36","modified_gmt":"2021-03-17T09:30:36","slug":"cinereous-vultures-on-the-move-across-the-balkan-peninsula","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/4vultures.org\/es\/blog\/cinereous-vultures-on-the-move-across-the-balkan-peninsula\/","title":{"rendered":"Cinereous Vultures on the move across the Balkan Peninsula"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Riga,<\/a>
Riga, the Cinereous Vulture photographed in Albania (c) Brano Rudi\u0107<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With the arrival of spring, young Cinereous Vultures across the Balkan Peninsula are getting adventurous and migrating around the region, being spotted traveling across five different countries.<\/p>\n

Funding provided by the\u00a0 European Union\u2019s LIFE programme has allowed our vulture conservation projects, the Vultures Back to LIFE<\/a> y LIFE Re-Vultures<\/a>, to use GPS transmitters to monitor the Balkan\u2019s last colony of Cinereous Vultures in the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park in Greece and birds released in Bulgaria as part of the historic reintroduction project. This work is giving great insight into how Europe\u2019s largest vultures are exploring the region which will ultimately help us better protect them as the population continues to grow over the coming years as more birds are released.<\/p>\n

Chrysoula<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"One<\/a>
One of the Cinereous Vultures fitted with a GPS transmitter in 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Fitted with a GPS transmitter back in 2017<\/a> in the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park in Greece, young Cinereous Vulture Chrysoula made her first trip outside the\u00a0 Rhodopes Mountains traveling an epic 3200 km for 17 days taking in five countries in the region.<\/p>\n

First, she took a long journey from the colony in Greece heading north to Serbia before returning to the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park. But getting the taste for traveling she decided to head back out a few days later and flew over North Macedonia and spent the day in Albania.<\/p>\n

To much excitement of the wildlife enthusiasts in Albania, Chrysoula is the first first recorded Cinereous Vulture in Albania for decades since the species was declared extinct in the country.<\/p>\n

\"Map<\/a>
Map showing the travels of Cinereous Vulture Chrysoula<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With no hesitation she turned south and within three days reached Athens. She spent a night in the the outskirts of the city and decided to go back home. Following again the edge of the mountain chains Chrysoula returned to her native colony and immediately visited the supplementary feeding station in Dadia.<\/p>\n

Riga<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Map<\/a>
Map showing the spring movements of Cinereous Vulture Riga<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of the three captive-bred birds released as part of the Vultures Back to LIFE<\/a> project back in July 2018, Riga, has spent his winter in the Akarnanika\/Messolnghi area of southern Greece since October but a few days ago got itchy wings and left the area.<\/p>\n

Riga headed north from his wintering ground on Monday 22 April, traveling 257km north in one day, the following day he passed through the whole of Albania. Riga\u2019s journey across Albania makes him the second recorded Cinereous Vulture sighting in the country, just days after Chrysoula became the first in decades to be recorded in Albania.<\/p>\n