{"id":40513,"date":"2025-08-01T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-01T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/4vultures.org\/?p=40513"},"modified":"2025-08-01T15:00:01","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T12:00:01","slug":"a-wild-hatched-bearded-vulture-fledged-in-corsica-for-the-first-time-in-four-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/4vultures.org\/pt\/blog\/a-wild-hatched-bearded-vulture-fledged-in-corsica-for-the-first-time-in-four-years\/","title":{"rendered":"A wild-hatched Bearded Vulture fledged in Corsica for the first time in four years"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the first time in four years, a Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus<\/em><\/a>)<\/em> chick born in the wild in Corsica has spread its wings and taken to the skies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier this year, four Bearded Vulture chicks hatched in the wild in Corsica \u2014 a hopeful start to the season<\/a>. But as challenges mounted, only one chick made it. And now, that lone survivor has taken its first flight. The moment was brief \u2014 but deeply significant. This isn\u2019t just any chick: it\u2019s the first ever<\/em> wild-hatched Bearded Vulture that hatched to a pair of captive-origin birds in Corsica.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Luna – Mother of the wild-hatched chick \u00a9 Martin Van Boone <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Meet the Parents: Luna and Muntagnolu<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The chick\u2019s story begins years ago. Its father, Muntagnolu, hatched in RFZ breeding centre in Austria and was released into the Massif du Cintu in 2016. Its mother, <\/strong>Luna, came from a zoo in Czechia and followed a similar path in 2017. Both were released as three-month-old chicks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, after years of wandering, growing, pairing up, and learning the ropes of adult vulture life, they have finally raised a chick. It\u2019s not their first attempt \u2014 last year, their nesting effort ended in heartbreak when the chick disappeared. But this year, they were finally successful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Muntagnolu -Father of the wild-hatched chick \u00a9 Martin Van Boone <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A rocky start to the 2025 breeding season<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Back in February, things were looking unusually optimistic. All four known territorial pairs of Bearded Vultures on Corsica laid eggs \u2014 a rare feat for a population that, not so long ago, was down to just two pairs. But as the weeks passed, reality hit hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One egg was left unincubated and chilled during a cold snap \u2014 the male had apparently abandoned his post. In another nest, both eggs failed without clear reason. In a third, a female accidentally broke her egg just before it was due to hatch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These heartbreaking details only came to light thanks to monitoring cameras installed as part of the LIFE GypRescue<\/strong> project. While sobering, the footage provided critical insights into the challenges facing this fragile population \u2014 from incubation issues to accidental damage and predation by Great Ravens in earlier years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A population on the rise \u2014 But still on the brink<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Corsica\u2019s Bearded Vultures are no ordinary birds. They represent a genetically unique lineage, a remnant of a broader Mediterranean population that once ranged across southern Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And though their numbers are still dangerously low<\/em>, they\u2019re moving in the right direction. Thanks to years of conservation efforts, the number of territorial pairs has raised from just two to around four to six today. It\u2019s a fragile foothold \u2014 but a real one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year\u2019s lone chick \u2014 hatched, nurtured, and now fledged in the wild \u2014 is proof that the population can<\/em> recover. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A team effort to turn the tide<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From reintroducing captive-bred birds and monitoring nests to providing food support and tackling threats, the LIFE GypRescue team has built a strong foundation for a self-sustaining Bearded Vulture population in Corsica.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And now, there\u2019s even more reason for optimism: the European Union has approved a 15-month extension of the project, which will now continue through September 2026<\/strong>. This extra time gives the team a valuable opportunity to deepen and expand their impact. Key priorities moving forward include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n