Dead Egyptian vulture found in north-east Bulgaria

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A member of the EKONEKT Determining and Minimizing of Risks for Wild Birds project team found a dead Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) near Kaliakra cape. The bird is immature; it was ringed in 2009 by a BSPB team in one of the few remaining nests of the globally threatened species in north-eastern Bulgaria. The loss of the three-year-old bird is particularly sad; it probably just completed its long, difficult migration from Africa to its birthplace. It was going to establish a territory and would find a mate in the following year. Unfortunately it found only death.

 Only one out of seven successfully raised young Egyptian vultures reaches maturity. BSPB has ringed about 90 young of the species in the period 2007-2012, but only three of them have come back to Bulgaria. This is the fourth case of finding a ringed bird – unfortunately, in tragic circumstances.

 Thanks to the quick response by the Regional Inspectorate for the Environment and Waters – Varna, a record of the finding was issued and the bird was taken in for examination. In the following days it will be sent to the Green Balkans Wildlife Rehabilitation and Breeding Centre in Stara Zagora where the reasons for its death will be established.

 The Return of the Neophron project is funded by the LIFE+ Programme of the EU and by the A. G. Leventis Foundation. The activities take place in 27 Natura 2000 sites in Bulgaria and Greece and are aimed at preventing the species extinction from the region.

 For more information:

 Vladimir Dobrev
 Conservation Officer
 for The Return of the Neophron project LIFE10 NAT/BG/000152
 e-mail: vladimir.dobrev@bspb.org