Giving hope for the Egyptian vultures

Aim

Our goal is to watch as many nests as possible in order to provide a safe flying for the largest possible number of young vultures.

Giving hope for the Egyptian vultures on the Balkans

It is hard to be an Egyptian vulture nowadays. How we know this? Well, we have found Egyptian vultures dead under electric poles. We’ve seen Egyptian vultures poisoned by wittingly put poisons. We’ve observed how the point from the satellite is “floating” in the middle of the sea with no hope to reach the shore (because there are not enough adult birds to lead the younger ones). We are aware of birds which lost their babies for poachers had stolen their eggs...

Today Egyptian vulture is one of the species at the edge of extinction. That’s why we cannot leave to chance even the natural selection. During the period from the returning of the adult birds to their nests until the flying of the young birds to sough, we watch their nests. We are there when adult birds repair the nests. We are there when they start nesting. Of course we do not miss the moment when baby birds hatch. The following few months are really important for them. They must grow up and become strong enough to manage to fly and reach their wintering grounds.

Who are we?

We are 4 nature-protective non-governmental organizations from 3 countries (Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB), Hellenic Ornithological Society (HOS), World Wildlife Fund-Greece (WWF), and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Our goal is to prevent the extinction of the globally threatened Egyptian Vulture from the Balkans.

Why Egyptian vulture?

Egyptian vulture is on the top of the food chain. It helps to maintain the balance in nature. For example the decreasing of the number of the vultures, increases the number of the predators on the ground which may spread diseases such as rabies. This may destroy the biological balance.

Today there are about 70 pairs on Balkans and this number decreases every year. Egyptian vulture is the bird species which population declines most rapidly among birds of prey in Europe.

What you can do?

Your support is extremely needed for the save future of the Egyptian vulture. Your contribution will be used for nest guarding of the Egyptian vultures’ nests during the most critical period - the young birds’ first fly in late July and early August. Volunteers will guard the nests and we have to cover their expenses for travel and food. The LIFE+ project “The Return of the Neophron” has provided funding for this conservation action for 2012 and 2013, and from 2014 onwards the activity should be funded through donations.

 Why nest guarding?

The guarding of the nests reduces the risk of disturbance and poaching during the incubation period. After the eggs have hatched, we watch the nests to prevent falling down of the baby birds or unsuccessful first fly of young birds.

In 2012 and 2013 four young birds were saved in Bulgaria after their unsuccessful first fly thanks to nest guarding. This is about 10 % of the raised chicks in Bulgaria for this period.

Our goal is to watch as many nests as possible in order to provide a safe flying for the largest possible number of young vultures.

Look in the Egyptian vulture’s nest

The world’s only of its kind camera for online observing of Egyptian vultures’ nest is in Bulgaria. It shows in real time the life of one of Earth’s most endangered species. The pair has already had their two babies :)

What else you can do?

Find out how you can help in other ways here.

Find us on Facebook and Twitter, spread the information about the project, about the threats of the Egyptian vulture and our efforts for its preservation.

This project closed unsuccessfully on 15th July 2014