A team of the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) and the Rewilding Rhodopes Foundation released the second large group of vultures in the Eastern Rhodopes as part of the restoration program in the Bulgarian part of the mountain.
They are expected to join the eight Black Vultures released last year that have permanently settled in the Eastern Rhodopes and Sakar mountains.
The first days are critical for the inexperienced birds, who must quickly learn to roost in safe places in the surrounding area and return to feed at the feeding site until they are strong enough to make longer flights and forage for food on their own. The BSPB team will remain close by during these days to make sure that the vultures' adaptation is proceeding normally and they are safe.
After nearly six months of adaptation in a specially built aviary between Madzharovo and Ivaylovgrad, the 13 black vultures that arrived from Spain in June got a chance at a new life in the wilderness of the Rhodope Mountains. The transition from life in captivity to life in the wild should be smooth and without undue stress for the birds. To this end, food is placed in front of the aviary and the gates are carefully opened to ensure peace in the area. This allows the vultures to leave the aviary when they feel safe and calm. "The release is going according to plan, the birds are calm and stick to the aviary area. We expect them to join those released last year. And our great hope is that next year, we will have good news about the first breeding attempts," said Dobromir Dobrev of BSPB.
In October, experts and volunteers tagged and placed transmitters on the rare birds, enabling the team to track their movements in real time, monitor their status and learn more about their lives in the wild.
The first two groups of Black Vultures were transported from Spain by the Spanish NGO GREFA (Grupo de Rehabilitación de la Fauna Autóctona), which has been working for years to rescue and rehabilitate injured wild birds. Over the next few years it is planned to release an additional 6-10 individuals per year as part of the ongoing programme. The establishment of a colony in Bulgaria will help the survival of the species in the Balkans, as it is expected that there will be an exchange of birds with the last surviving local colony of about 25-30 pairs, located in the Greek part of the Rhodopes, as well as with the newly formed colonies of the species in the Balkan Mountains.
The activities for the return of the Black Vultures to the Eastern Rhodopes are implemented by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds in cooperation with the Rewilding Rhodopes Foundation and funded by Rewilding Europe.
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