In Andalusia, Spain, competent authorities deal with the death of a vulture or other wildlife as any other serious crime, which means Crime Scene Investigation (CSI), evidence collection, forensic analysis and court procedures to achieve convictions and justice! To transfer Spanish best practice experience to the Balkans and beyond, the Junta de Andalucía and the Vulture Conservation Foundation (VCF) recently implemented the Basic Course of the first-ever Wildlife Crime Academy in Spain within the scope of the BalkanDetox LIFE project. This event marked a milestone — not only did it take place during a global pandemic, but it’s also the first training of its kind achieving real engagement and providing necessary skills to relevant stakeholders to effectively fight wildlife crime in several European regions.

Since 2016, the LIFE RE-Vultures strived to support the recovery and further expansion of the Cinereous and Griffon Vulture populations in the cross-border region of the Rhodope Mountains. Over the past five years, the project team helped increase the Griffon Vulture population in the Eastern Rhodopes, restored the red and fallow deer and mitigated severe threats the species face by implementing several targeted conservation actions. The LIFE-funded project that has now come to an end was led by Rewilding Europe, in collaboration with the Rewilding Rhodopes Foundation, the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds, WWF Greece, the Hellenic Ornithological Society and us here at the VCF.

Tinença de Benifassà natural park welcomed three new Bearded Vultures

Donna Elvira and BelArosa recently became the 50th and 51st Bearded Vultures reintroduced in the Swiss Alps

Young Bearded Vulture Bavaria and Wally successfully take their first flight into the Bavarian Alps

First Egyptian Vulture observation in the UK in 150 years

LIFE Rupis: Layman’s report and project films now available

Raptor interactions: Golden Eagle predates Griffon Vulture chick

Cáceres Farmer receives a hefty penalty for intentionally poisoning sheep to kill vultures

Griffon Vultures return to a historic colony in Greece after 30 years