On the first Saturday of September, as every year, the International Day of Vultures takes place, birds that are essential for the maintenance of biodiversity and the balance of ecosystems. This anniversary, celebrated since 2006 at the initiative of the Hawk Conservancy Trust, the Birds of Prey Program of The Endangered Wildlife Trust and the Vulture Specialist Group of the Species Survival Commission of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), aims to raise awareness of the importance of the conservation of these species.

Vultures are animals of great ecological value, since, by feeding on the flesh of other dead animals, they clean the natural environment of carrion and other organic waste that would favor the spread of diseases between animals and their possible transmission to humans. In addition, vultures contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and economic savings, by avoiding the removal of dead animals in rural areas for subsequent treatment in industrial plants.

There are 23 known species of vultures worldwide, 16 of which are threatened and included in the IUCN red list. Spain is home to the largest population of necrophagous birds in Europe, both in terms of population size and species diversity, as it accounts for 90% of the vulture populations in the European Union. Therefore, our country is an enclave of great relevance for the protection of these birds, and it is home to species such as the griffon vulture (fulvus), the Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus), the black vulture (Aegypius monachus) and the bearded vulture (Gyapetus barbatus).

Within our territory, these species are at different levels of threat, according to the latest edition of the Red Book of Birds of Spain (2021). In the case of Spanish black vulture populations, they are currently made up of about 2,500 breeding pairs, and in recent years this positive trend seems to be maintained thanks to the different reintroduction projects carried out. The Red Book lists this species as “near threatened,” as it considers that it does not meet the criteria to be within the IUCN threat categories. In relation to the griffon vulture, the document notes that the evolution remains favorable, and with some 34,000 breeding pairs, it is currently in a state of “least concern.” For its part, the Egyptian vulture is also experiencing a positive trend, with a stable population of 1,500 pairs, although it remains in the “vulnerable” category. Finally, the bearded vulture has about 133 breeding pairs and remains in the “vulnerable” category, in addition to being considered “in danger of extinction” according to the Spanish Catalogue of Threatened Species.

In this context, a series of measures have been implemented in our country that contribute to the recovery of necrophagous bird populations in general, especially during the last decade. An example of this has been the approval of the  Royal Decree 1632/2011, which has made it possible to provide food to certain species of wildlife, including vultures, by providing them with animal by-products not intended for human consumption (SANDACH).

In addition, the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) carried out an evaluation of compliance with this regulation, with the publication of a report detailing the actions carried out in 2018 and 2019 to improve the availability of food for these species, according to the information provided by the autonomous communities to MITECO. In this document, among other actions, it is reflected that 14 autonomous communities have delimited protection areas dedicated to the feeding of necrophagous birds, making up a total area that represents 61.2% of the peninsular area of Spain, and a total of 251 feeders have been authorized and enabled throughout 11 autonomous communities. In addition, in 2019, nine communities granted authorisations to a total of 15,702 extensive livestock farms for the feeding of necrophagous species using SANDACH.

However, globally, vultures continue to face different threats that compromise their survival, and there are many species that still face extinction. Key factors include the risk of collision with power lines, wind turbines and other electrical infrastructure, bait poisoning and habitat degradation. For all these reasons, it is necessary to implement new measures that contribute to mitigating these dangers and that help the recovery and conservation of these birds.

Taking all this into account, the MITECO Biodiversity Foundation has supported through its calls for grants more than 20 projects that, directly or indirectly, contribute to improving the conservation status of these necrophagous birds, through actions such as the rescue and rehabilitation of specimens for their subsequent release and monitoring or the increase in knowledge about the migratory movements and behaviours of these birds. Likewise, actions have been carried out linked to the restoration of their habitats, which have made it possible to improve the temporal and spatial availability of food.

Thus, the Group for the Rehabilitation of Native Fauna and its Habitat (GREFA), has developed conservation work of the black vulture that has allowed a study of its dispersal and migration behavior, being able to evaluate the main factors that threaten the conservation of its populations and that of other species. Within the framework of this project, in addition, the release of 15 black vultures was achieved in two areas of northern Spain where this raptor had disappeared and which has allowed the formation of about twenty breeding pairs adding both areas: the Sierra de la Demanda and the Pyrenees. Likewise, the movements of 17 specimens of black vulture and two of Egyptian vultures were tracked and monitored, advancing in the knowledge of the grazing areas and the dispersive and migratory routes of these species.

For its part, the Foundation for the Conservation of the Bearded Vulture (FCQ) has favoured the settlement of this species in new mountain systems of the Iberian Peninsula, such as the Pyrenees or the Sierra de Gredos, in addition to the reinforcement of specimens in reintroduction projects in Picos de Europa, the Sierra de Cazorla, the Iberian System and the Alps. On the other hand, the project has contributed to the recovery process of the species through measures that improve natural productivity, the settlement of new territories and the improvement of trophic resources, helping to recover the environmental and social conditions necessary for its comprehensive recovery in the Iberian Peninsula. Likewise, a remote monitoring of a breeding season has been carried out, advancing knowledge about this matter. Finally, cooperation with the livestock sector has been encouraged, with the signing of five agreements for the custody and legalisation of areas for the feeding of scavenger birds.