On July 27 2025, Society for the Protection of Biodiversity of Thrace received a call from the only cattle farmer living in Ethymos, an abandoned village in the Kompsatos Valley, near the Bulgarian border. He had spotted a weakened and injured Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus).
The SBPT team immediately rushed to the site and transferred the bird to the OFYPEKA facility in Dadia to receive first aid before being sent to a care centre. Sadly, despite the rapid response, the vulture died only a few hours later, as its condition was already extremely critical.
This individual carried a satellite transmitter, which revealed that it was “Dryan”, a young vulture released in Bulgaria on 19 April 2025 on Mount Kotel by the Fund for Wild Flora and Fauna. Dryan had been moved from Extremadura, Spain, as part of the Bearded Vulture LIFE project.
What makes this loss even more painful is that Dryan had already been the protagonist of an extraordinary rescue just weeks earlier in Romania’s Danube Delta.
Suspected collision with power lines
An initial examination of the bird’s injuries – including a stretched leg and burns on its abdomen and wings – suggests that it had most likely collided with electrical wires. Crucially, the transmitter data and the field investigation indicate that the incident probably occurred in Bulgaria, where Dryan had been flying the previous day. There are no power lines in the Kompsatos mountains, especially not in the area where it was eventually found.
This tragic event highlights one of the most pressing dangers for large raptors in the region. Electrocution and collisions with power infrastructures continue to pose a severe threat to vultures and other birds of prey across the Balkans.
Gratitude for the local support
Even though Dryan didn’t survive, the quick reaction of the cattle farmer and the team from Society for the Protection of Biodiversity of Thrace highlight how every minute matters in these kinds of rescue operations. His vigilance was critical, even before the monitoring team tracking the transmitter could respond. Such cooperation from local communities is essential for the long-term success of vulture conservation.
While Dryan’s story ended tragically, it strengthens our resolve to continue working across borders to address infrastructure-related threats and to give these iconic birds a safe future in the Balkans.
Bearded Vulture LIFE
The “Bearded Vulture LIFE” project – a comprehensive initiative, aiming to restore the Bearded Vulture and Cinereous Vulture across Bulgaria and the Balkans. With a budget of €5.17 million, co-funded by the European Union’s LIFE Programme, the project commenced in August 2023 and is expected to continue until 2030. Building upon the achievements of its predecessor, “Vultures Back to Life,” it is coordinated by Green Balkans, with five more partner organizations within Bulgaria, including the Fund for Wild Flora and Fauna, Foundation EkoObshtnost, EVN – Elektropradelenie Yug EAD, Severozapadno Darzhavno Predpriyatie – Vratsa, and “Sinite kamani” Nature Park Directorate. Furthermore, the project benefits from international collaboration, including the Vulture Conservation Foundation (VCF), responsible for the translocation and safeguarding of captive-bred birds secured for release. Additionally, the partner Milvus group is responsible for executing conservation efforts in Romania.
