PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) is an Annex I species of the EU Birds Directive, and is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ in the European Red List of Birds (2015). It formerly inhabited most of the mountains of south-western Europe, but by 2019 its population had been reduced to only 252 pairs in the EU, 75.8% of them in the Pyrenees. The significant reduction of threats affecting scavenging raptors (mainly poisoning and illegal hunting), has enabled a spectacular recovery of their numbers and distribution in the Iberian Peninsula. The population of bearded vulture is recovering in the Pyrenees, its most important stronghold in Europe. However, instead of expanding throughout its former range (as other species have done), due to its marked philopatric character it has remained in the Pyrenees. Numerous studies have shown that the Pyrenean population has problems typical of ‘island’ populations, such as for example, increased number of breeding trios (30-35% of the total), which lowers productivity, and increased number of non-breeding adults (51% of the population). In Aragón, which has the largest population in Europe (74 pairs), only 27.1% of pairs successfully breed. All this means there is still a high risk of extinction. In order to ensure its long-term conservation it is necessary to extend this population to its former distribution area through reintroduction programmes, which is a priority of both the Strategy for the Conservation of the Bearded Vulture in Spain (2000) and the two Species Action Plans approved by the European Commission (Birdlife 2011; VCF 2018). The Spanish Government considers it strategic to reach new stable population nuclei outside the Pyrenees through reintroduction programmes, to favour genetic exchange and the flow of individuals through corridors. The first steps towards this scenario was a reintroduction project in Andalusia (LIFE04 NAT/E/000056), which established a nucleus of five breeding pairs. In 2013, another reintroduction project started, developed by the FCQ in Picos de Europa (LIFE12 NAT/ES/000322), which has managed to establish one pair.
OBJECTIVES
The main objective of the LIFE Pro BV project is to reduce the long-term risk of extinction of the main EU population of bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) by recovering its former range in the Iberian Peninsula.
This will be achieved through the following specific activities:
- Reintroduction to create a sub-population to extend the vulture’s range into the Sistema Central (Gredos, central Spain), through an ecological corridor that runs from Portugal across the Iberian Peninsula from east to west, where for the last 4 years there has been a regular presence of vagrants from the Andalusian reintroduction project;
- Reintroduction to create a population to extend the area of distribution towards the Maestrazgo in north-west Spain, a strategic area of mountains and deep canyons that interconnects different mountain systems (Iberian System, Coastal Range), which at present is an area used by wandering birds between the north and south of the Peninsula;
- Reintroduction to reinforce the population in Picos de Europa (Cantabrian Mountains), an ecological corridor that runs along the north of the Iberian Peninsula, from the Pyrenees to the north of Portugal;
- Consolidating the settlement of vagrants and encourage their reproduction to create another subpopulation between the population centers in the north and south of the Iberian Peninsula, at Moncayo, a crossroads that connects the Cantabrian Mountains with the Iberian System. Since 2019 there has been a permanent presence of birds arriving from the Pyrenees and in 2020 a pair was established; and
- Adoption of a joint conservation strategy between Spain and Portugal to promote the recovery of the bearded vulture in its former area of distribution, and to promote the geographical continuity of the species. In recent years there has been an increase in the number of young dispersing birds that reach Portugal, in the former distribution area.
The project contributes to the implementation of the EU Habitats Directive and Birds Directive, EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, Common Agricultural Policy 2021-2027 proposal, European Green Deal, EU action plan for the Circular Economy, and the EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change.
RESULTS
Expected results:
- Extension of the distribution area towards the Sistema Central (Gredos): Establishment of 1-2 territorial pairs and a population of 15 birds;
- Extension of the distribution area towards the Iberian System (Maestrazgo) north-west Spain: Establishment of 1-2 territorial pairs and a population of 15 birds;
- Consolidatation of the reintroduced population in Picos de Europa (Cantabrian Mountains): Establishment of a population of 3-4 territorial pairs and about 35 birds;
- The settlement of dispersed specimens between the population centres in the north and south of the Iberian Peninsula (Moncayo): Establishment of 1 breeding pair and 6-7 birds;
- Replication to promote the geographical continuity of the recovery of the species, and implementation of the Iberian Strategy for the conservation of the Bearded Vulture with both countries participating in the Bearded Vulture Working Group;
- Qualification of staff from 9 protected areas and teams from Portugal;
- Networking with 8 other projects;
- Early warning network with 21 vultures;
- Reduction of lead ammunition over 42 544 ha;
- Raising awareness of 5 000 livestock farmers;
- 200 interventions of the anti-poison patrol;
- 40 new farmers in Pro-biodiversity;
- 15-20 km of power lines modified, reducing mortality by 87% (expected rate in Moncayo 0.013%, in Maestrazgo 0.009%);
- 5 Natura 2000 sites recover all scavenging bird species;
- 80% of local opinion leaders sensitised (>250 people);
- 100% of the technical personnel of the protected spaces trained (>100 beneficiaries);
- 12 subsidised local association projects: 1 000/2 000 beneficiaries;
- 75% of tourist facilities disseminate information (>500 people);
- Over 50 000 people informed at fairs, around 40 000 via Facebook, 25 000 people informed through leaflets and the layman‘s report;
- Information panels in all visitor centres in the project area (>70 000 visits/year);
- News and articles reaching 30 000 people;
- Network with 150 volunteers;
- Transfer of project’s methodology via workshops and four technical sessions (300 people);
- 3 Replication guidelines (Livestock farmers conserving nature, Intervention Protocol for Reintroduction Projects, Eliminating lead ammunition) distributed to over 200 organisations.
