{"id":18724,"date":"2021-08-16T22:11:30","date_gmt":"2021-08-16T19:11:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/4vultures.org\/?p=18724"},"modified":"2025-05-05T15:47:00","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T12:47:00","slug":"bearded-vulture-releases-andalusia-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/4vultures.org\/pt\/blog\/bearded-vulture-releases-andalusia-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"2021 marks another successful Bearded Vulture release season in Andalusia"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u00a9 Vulture Conservation Foundation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This year has once again been a great one for the Bearded Vulture reintroduction efforts in Andalusia, Spain, with a record-breaking number of chicks hatching in the Bearded Vulture Captive Breeding Centre of Guadalent\u00edn<\/a> (Cazorla) and several young released into the wild.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From captivity to the wild<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Captive breeding plays an essential role in \u03bfur work bringing Bearded Vultures back to regions where they disappeared. Today, the Bearded Vulture Captive Breeding Network<\/a> (Bearded Vulture EEP), managed by us at the Vulture Conservation Foundation (VCF) on behalf of EAZA<\/a>‘s EEP, coordinates a network of zoos, private collections and specialised centres to breed the species in captivity for conservation purposes. Every breeding season, we allocate captive-bred chicks to different projects for their eventual release into the wild across European regions to reintroduce or restock populations. This time around, the Bearded Vulture EEP designated eight young Bearded Vultures for release in Andalusia coming from different facilities \u2014 one from Liberec Zoo<\/a> (Czech Republic), one from Berlin Zoo<\/a>, two from Tallinn Zoo<\/a> (Estonia) and three from the Bearded Vulture Captive Breeding Centre of Guadalent\u00edn<\/a>, managed by us following an agreement with the Junta de Andaluc\u00eda. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A special case<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the seven young, one of the Bearded Vultures came from a wild nest in the Catalan Pyrenees. This individual needed help after one of its parents died, and the other one abandoned the chick. After a field team notice the situation, they mobilised a swift rescue mission to save its life. After the chick made a recovery, it travelled to Guadalent\u00edn<\/a>. There, they reared it without human contact to ensure it would act as a wild bird, enabling it to return to the wild and, at the same time, contribute to the conservation of its own species!   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Releasing birds to the wild<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Ahead of the releases, we equip Bearded Vultures with identification rings, bleach a unique set of feathers and fit them with GPS transmitters in order to recognise them and monitor their progress in the wild. We release the young vultures using the \u2018hacking method\u2019, which is more or less the natural way of fledging. This method involves releasing nestlings that hatched in captivity at an artificial nest in suitable habitat to acclimatise to the natural environment before they take their first flights. With this technique, the nestlings can associate the place where they are released with the area of hatching so that when they reach breeding age, which is around 8-10 years old, they select these places to breed. For the first few months after the release, an attentive team closely monitors the new inhabitants and their daily progress to help ensure their wellbeing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n