Second expedition in Albania 2013

21.05.2013

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Second expedition in Albania 2013

In April held а second international expedition in the Southern Albania to update the number of the breeding Egyptian vultures in the country. The first expedition under the project LIFE + "The Return of the Neophron" (LIFE10 NAT/BG/000152) was held in August 2012 and identified 7 active areas of the species. These researches aim to check the known areas and to find new occupied territories. Except BSPB and HOS, an essential contribution in the expedition had environmentalists from the local NGO PPNEA. This is a good start to build capacity to work for the species on local level and for communication with local communities and more profound understanding of threats to the species in Albania.
In this study in Southern Albania were established 8 active nesting territories of Egyptian vultures (6 pairs and 2 single birds). We found a large number of abandoned nests close to the border with Greece. Food base in this part of Albania is rich, as seen throughout many herds of sheep and goats.
As threats to the species were identified poisoning and direct persecution. Use of poisons is rather sporadic and direct shooting is related to the practice of stuffed birds.
Generally, the locals revere the Egyptian vulture. They call it "Cuckoo's Horse" and associate it with the coming of the Spring. The shepherds respect the species and bind it with the welfare of their flocks. Some of them recognize the Egyptian Vulture unmistakably and know about its migration in Africa. Actually, the Egyptian vulture is exclusively associated with this type of vocation: lives mostly in areas with extensive livestock farming, returns in the Spring when the sheep shearing and uses the wool to lay on in their nests, feeds on the carcasses of dead animals and stops infections in the herds.
Of the Balkans, currently 80 pairs Egyptian vultures inhabit 5 countries: Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Turkey and Albania. One of the objectives of project LIFE + "The Return of the Neophron" is to build an active network of experts, organizations and institutions to ensure the future of the species in the Balkans.

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