February has been an exciting and active month for vultures across Europe. Bearded Vultures have been hard at work with their breeding season, with chicks hatching or about to hatch both in the wild and in captivity. Meanwhile, many Griffon Vultures have already laid their eggs and have been busy incubating them, while Cinereous Vultures are diligently preparing their nests, with some already starting to lay eggs. To top it off, Egyptian Vultures have been spotted returning from their wintering grounds in Africa in some parts of Europe! But that's not all – there have been many other developments in the world of vulture conservation, including updates from ongoing projects, that we are eager to share with you in our latest newsletter. |
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Lead ammunition banned in wetlands across 30 European countries |
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As of mid-February, the use of lead ammunition became illegal in and around wetlands across the EU and Liechtenstein, Iceland and Norway. Lead is a toxic compound that contaminates soil and water, putting millions of birds and other animals at risk of poisoning. The ban is a significant step towards protecting wildlife from lead poisoning, but a total phase-out of lead ammunition for hunting remains a priority to restore the populations of vultures, other scavenging species and the important ecosystem services they provide. |
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Eglazine surprises us again! |
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After spending the entire summer in the Netherlands, the Bearded Vulture Eglazine surprised us once again by heading southward and spending the winter in Südwestfalen, Germany. She has become the first Bearded Vulture to spend the whole winter so far north! Eglazine's journey has been truly remarkable, starting from her release in the Grands Causses in France as part of the LIFE GypConnect project's reintroduction efforts. With the help of her GPS transmitter, we have been closely monitoring her behaviour and movements to check how she adapts to life in the wild. But there's more to come - Eglazine has recently moved away from Germany, and we can't wait to share updates on her next adventure. Stay tuned! |
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We are excited to introduce you to our new conservation project LIFE Gyp'Act, co-funded by the European Union's LIFE Programme and led by LPO, which aims to consolidate the Bearded Vulture population in South-eastern France and connect the Pyrenean and Alpine populations. The project aims to reintroduce 60 Bearded Vultures to four protected areas using the hacking method, tackle electrocution and collision mortality, decrease shootings and poisoning, monitor birds, reduce human disturbances, and strengthen food resources. The goal is to ensure Bearded Vulture populations in the targeted regions are viable at the end of the project in 2028. |
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Thank you for your continuous support and encouragement – it keeps us going. |
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Photos: LPN, Uwe Staehler and VCF |
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