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Increase of the Griffon vulture population in the Eastern Rhodopes
Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) has completed the annual monitoring of the breeding Griffon vultures population in the Eastern Rhodopes. The growth of the population continues during this breeding season as well, reaching 70 pairs, the BSPB website informs.
The established breeding success is lower than the average in Europe. Nevertheless the highest ever recorded number of fledglings was registered since the monitoring has begun in mid-80s. This year 46 juveniles successfully fledged altogether.
The monitoring will continue with observation at and the vulture restaurants maintained by BSPB.
Despite good news, in the beginning of August, a signal for distress juvenile bird in Studen kladenets reservoir was received at the Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water (RIEW) – Haskovo. The bird was found in the water after unsuccessful flight attempt. With the kind support of RIEW – Haskovo, Studen Kladenets Reserve and The Friends of Rhodope Cow Foundation, the griffon vulture was rescued and rehabilitated for a week. The bird was named Krali and was ringed so that he could be tracked down. On 17.08.2014 after Krali’s fully recovery, he was successfully released close to the place he was found and immediately joined the other vultures in the colony.
Conservation of the Griffon vulture in the Eastern Rhodopes is one of the most successful activities of BSPB. The data shows that during 27 years of monitoring this last indigenous population in Bulgaria has gradually increased from 13 pairs in the end of 80’s to 70 pairs in the current breeding season.
BSPB expresses its kind gratitude to the colleagues from RIEW – Haskovo, Studen Kladenets Reserve and the Friends of Rhodope Cow Foundation, without whom the monitoring would be impossible.
