Bearded vulture conservation and reintroduction

Conservation and reintroduction efforts for the bearded vulture have shown progress across different European regions.

In Spain, a male chick named ‘Cardaor’ was born in the municipality of Yeste within the Sierra del Segura, Albacete. This event marks the first confirmed reproduction of the species in the province in over fifty years. The chick is the offspring of a pair, Génave and Bwindi, who were first detected in the province in February 2023.

Due to the inaccessible nature of the nest, monitoring was initially conducted via drones. In May, environmental agents used high-altitude equipment to perform health checks, attach a GPS transmitter, and apply rings. Some feathers were also controlledly discolored to facilitate identification during flight. The name ‘Cardaor’ honors a traditional local trade related to wool processing, a material the birds use to line their nests. This milestone is being viewed as significant for biodiversity conservation in Castilla-La Mancha, and authorities, alongside the University of Granada, are now examining historical nests from the 1950s and 1960s to understand the species' historical presence in the region.

In the Swiss Alps, researchers have identified a breeding pair in Ticino, including a male named Herculis who had been missing since 2018. Additionally, a rehabilitated young male named Lepontino was released near Linthal after recovering from a weakened state. These efforts contribute to a broader recovery trend; since the 1980s, international reintroduction projects have helped the species return to the Alps, which now host 98 breeding territories.