<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Vultures have an undeniable function in maintaining healthy and balanced ecosystems<\/a>. As obligate scavengers, they are responsible for eliminating potentially harmful bacteria from decomposing carcasses that could otherwise be a source of contamination and disease outbreaks. Their efficient carcass disposal service releases nutrients into the soil, promoting the nutrient cycle and energy transfer through food webs. It can also help control the population of predators, such as feral dogs, which might be pathogens of diseases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In case of poisoning incidents, vultures regularly monitored with GPS tags can sound the alarm for poisoned baits and animals if local teams swiftly detect and remove the poisoned carcasses. Apart from the cultural and spiritual dimension they offer, vultures can help reduce the costs of livestock producers that need to pay for the disposal of their dead animals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n By the 1960s, the decreasing availability of food, along with illegal persecution, habitat loss, poisoning, and other human-induced threats, led to the disappearance of vulture species from most of its European range. Populations of Cinereous Vultures, Griffon Vultures, Bearded Vultures and Egyptian Vultures were highly affected, resulting in smaller and isolated breeding colonies, which became locally extinct in some regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thanks to the conservation efforts of hundreds of organisations involved in restocking and strengthening<\/a> <\/strong>vulture populations, most vulture species show a positive growth trend, according to the \u201cPopulation estimates report for the Five European Vulture Species<\/a>\u201d published by the Vulture Conservation Foundation in 2022. However, for reintroduction and restocking measures to be effective, it is fundamental to tackle the main threats<\/a> affecting their survival. Concrete conservation actions in Europe span from increasing food supply and habitat conditions, securing electricity infrastructure and power lines,<\/a> decreasing illegal killing and human disturbance, and fighting illegal poisoning by empowering agents and national authorities<\/a> in criminal investigation and law enforcement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n\n\n\n Poisonous substances have a dreadful effect on the environment and vulture populations. The illegal use of toxic substances is often an attempt to resolve human-wildlife conflicts, targeting certain species that impact agricultural productivity (such as insects, mammals, rodents and carnivores). However, this indiscriminate practice has a ripple effect on many other species, entering the trophic cascade with consequences for entire ecosystems and posing a risk to human health. Vultures, for instance, can be directly affected by eating from the poisoned baits or indirectly by feeding from animals poisoned to death. A recently produced animation video by the BalkanDetox LIFE project illustrates the vicious cycle of death by poisoning<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/4vultures.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/cinereous-griffon-and-egyptian-vulture-Pilar-Oliva-Vidal-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nVultures maintain balanced ecosystems<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
The need to tackle poison to restore vulture populations in Europe<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"Building](\"http:\/\/4vultures.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Building-capacities-to-fight-illegal-wildlife-poisoning-with-our-Wildlife-Crime-Academy-300x199.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t\t\t![\"Wildlife](\"http:\/\/4vultures.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Scene-1_WCA-300x199.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t\t\tBreaking the cycle of death by poisoning<\/h4>\n\n\n\n