{"id":38364,"date":"2024-09-18T21:33:49","date_gmt":"2024-09-18T18:33:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/4vultures.org\/?p=38364"},"modified":"2025-05-05T15:46:42","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T12:46:42","slug":"life-rhodopes-vultures-starts-in-bulgaria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/4vultures.org\/pt\/blog\/life-rhodopes-vultures-starts-in-bulgaria\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cLIFE Rhodope Vultures\u201d: the new project to protect Cinereous Vultures in the Balkans kicks off in September\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

A three-day Vulture Festival held in Madzharovo, Bulgaria, has marked the launch of the new LIFE project, \u201cRestoration of the Cinereous Vulture Population and Trophic Chain in the Bulgarian-Greek Cross-border Region\u201d (LIFE Rhodope Vultures). This project, coordinated by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) in collaboration with the Rewilding Rhodopes Foundation, seeks to bring back the rare Cinereous vulture to the region. Few days before the event a group of six Cinereous Vultures, transported from Spain, occupied the local adaptation aviary. They will be released next spring and help boost the Cinereous Vulture population in the Balkans.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Celebrating vultures conservation <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The three-day Vulture Festival in Madzharovo was the perfect chance for the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB)<\/a> and the Rewilding Rhodopes Foundation<\/a> to celebrate the International Vulture Awareness Day and officially present to the public the new LIFE project \u201cRestoration of the Cinereous vulture population and trophic chain in the Bulgarian-Greek cross-border region\u201d.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A event<\/a> was attended by more than 300 people from across Bulgaria and included a variety of games, presentations, film screenings, and exhibitions. One of the most popular events was the game \u201cEco-Adventurers in Search for Vultures,\u201d which engaged over a hundred children who explored Vultures nature through interactive challenges. Children also participated in the play \u201cThe Wizard\u2019s Legacy,\u201d an educational and theatrical experience that captivated audiences with a unique friendship story between a vulture and a blue whale. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guests also had the opportunity to visit the BSPB\u2019s \u201cEastern Rhodopes\u201d Conservation Centre, joining birdwatching sessions and guided walks led by experts. The festival created an immersive experience, allowing people to connect with nature and learn about vulture conservation in a fun and engaging environment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Vulture festival in Madzharovo (Bulgaria) \u00a9 Iordanka Goranova – BSPB<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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“Eco-Adventurers in Search for Vultures” \u00a9 Iordanka Goranova – BSPB<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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“Eco-Adventurers in Search for Vultures” \u00a9 Iordanka Goranova – BSPB<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Supporting Cinereous Vultures in the Balkans <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The key moment of the festival was the official presentation of the new LIFE project, \u201cRestoration of the Cinereous Vulture Population and Trophic Chain.\u201d This five-year project (2024\u20132029) aims to establish a new Cinereous vulture colony in the Bulgarian Rhodopes and to support the only existing breeding colony in Greece, located in Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli National Park.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The small population in Greece still experiences high unnatural mortality which threatens its long-term survival.  Over the course of the project, the team will work to reduce the main threats to vultures survival, such as poisoning, poaching, and collisions with energy infrastructure. They will also focus on improving the food base for vultures to prevent and mitigate conflicts between human and wildlife. Lastly, it aims to promote a sustainable economy that benefits local communities and nature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The festival itself was part of the project and was also supported by the \u201cGreen Belt of Southeastern Bulgaria<\/a>\u201d project, funded by the Endangered Landscapes Programme (ELSP)<\/a>. It is part of the efforts made to involve local communities and raise awareness about Cinereous Vultures importance and fragile conditions.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Vulture festival in Madzharovo (Bulgaria) \u00a9Nelly Naydenova – Rewilding Rhodopes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Starting off on the right foot <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A few days before the official presentation of the LIFE projects, Cinereous Vultures<\/a> (Aegypius monachus<\/em>) arrived in the adaptation aviary in the Rhodope Mountains. The vultures come from Spain and were provided by the Spanish NGO GREFA (Grupo de Rehabilitaci\u00f3n de la Fauna Aut\u00f3ctona)<\/a>, which rescues and rehabilitates injured wild birds. A team of experts from the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPS) monitors their conditions to make sure that they are adapting well to their new environment. They will be released next spring as part of the restoration programme included in the LIFE project.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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