The Iberian project for the conservation of the Cinereous Vulture enters its final phase with a very positive assessment.
All together for the Cinereous Vulture
As is now tradition, the annual meetings of the LIFE Aegypius Return project bring together the nine consortium partner organisations, as well as collaborating authorities and NGOs, whose contributions have been essential to the project’s implementation.
The fifth meeting took place in the Douro International Natural Park. Over three days, the partners, the various Regional Directorates of the ICNF (Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests) and the NGO Rewilding Portugal discussed the progress made and planned the actions for the final stage of the project. The meeting also included a monitoring visit from CINEA (European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency), which is co-financing the project through the LIFE programme. The balance is largely positive, but the conservation work continues!
The project’s main achievements
As the project enters its consolidation phase, stakeholders highlight the growth of the Portuguese Cinereous Vulture population as a major victory, underpinned by decisive milestones:
- New breeding colony: Establishment of the country’s fifth breeding colony (in Alentejo, in the municipalities of Vidigueira and Portel).
- Acclimatisation in the Douro Internacional: Soft release programme with ten individuals already acclimatised and five currently in the acclimatisation station.
- Remote monitoring: Approximately 60 Cinereous Vultures tagged with GPS/GSM transmitters, allowing for the detailed study of movements, behaviours, and causes of mortality or disturbance.
- Food reinforcement: Increased food availability through the approval of several Private Areas for the Feeding of Necrophagous Birds (APAAN), in close collaboration with livestock farmers across the country.
- Breeding success: Combating breeding failure by repairing existing nesting platforms and increasing available nesting sites through the installation of new ones.
- Reducing disturbance: On-the-ground presence within local communities and intensified patrolling by the GNR (National Republican Guard) around colonies, now bolstered by three new canine units specialised in poison detection.
- Combating lead contamination: Training and awareness-raising within the hunting sector to promote the transition to lead-free ammunition, preventing collateral wild bird contamination.
- Strategic intervention: Active participation in public consultations and forums on land-use planning and the expansion of renewable energies, advocating for the species’ conservation.
- Scientific contributions: Partnerships with national and European universities and research centres to deepen ecological and clinical-veterinary knowledge of this endangered species, as well as identifying mortality factors and producing highly relevant reports and studies.
- Cross-sector cooperation: Collaboration between conservationists, veterinarians, authorities, livestock farmers, land managers, hunters, rural communities, the media, and other stakeholders has been fundamental to the success of all initiatives.
The project is set to conclude in December 2027; therefore, a phase of consolidating progress and developing numerous strategic documents to guide the future conservation of the Cinereous Vulture now begins.
Douro Internacional Nature Park, much more than vultures
The days of intense work were accompanied by sunny weather, breathtaking views of the cliffs above the river and the unfailing hospitality of the people of Trás-os-Montes. The host partners – Faia Brava and Palombar –enriched the sessions with a gastronomic itinerary and visits to the local culture. The final day, dedicated to a field trip, showcased the impressive habitat restoration work carried out by Palombar following the major wildfire that devastated the region last August.
Highlights include the re-equipping of the acclimatisation station (including the logistics centre and CCTV system), the sowing of key species for ecosystem functioning, the reinforcement of riparian galleries, and the increase in food availability for vultures.
The recovery effort is evident in the green once again covering the Nature Park and in the species that inhabit it. Cinereous Vultures, Griffon Vultures, and Egyptian Vultures once again soar the skies, accompanied by Montagu’s Harriers, Golden Eagles, Booted Eagles, kites, and dozens of other species in the height of the breeding season.
Participants in the field trip were also treated to the release back into the wild of a Griffon Vulture, which had been rehabilitated at the Gerês Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre after being found weakened in the Guimarães region.
Acknowledgements
The partners of the LIFE Aegypius Return project would like to thank all individuals and entities involved in the works for their commitment to the project. Thanks are also due to the Lagoaça Parish Council and the Municipality of Freixo de Espada à Cinta for providing facilities and supporting the meeting’s organisation, and to Associartecine for their support with the reception. A special thank you to the Gerês Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, managed by the ICNF, for organising the release of the rehabilitated Griffon Vulture.
About the LIFE Aegypius Return project
The LIFE Aegypius Return project is co-funded by the European Union’s LIFE programmeO seu sucesso depende do envolvimento de todos os stakeholders relevantes, e da colaboração dos parceiros: a stakeholders and the collaboration of the partners: the Vulture Conservation Foundation (VCF), the coordinating beneficiary, and local partners Palombar – Conservation of Nature and Rural Heritage, Herdade da Contenda, the Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds, the League for the Protection of Nature, the Faia Brava Association for Nature Conservation, Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre, the National Republican Guard e the National Association of Rural Owners of Game Management and Biodiversity.
