The Great Bulgarian Vulture Return: Europe turns over a new leaf after centuries of bird persecution
Thanks to significant reintroduction efforts, Europe is one of the few places in the world where vulture populations are increasing. But human activities are making this recovery fragile.
In partnership with The European Commission
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00:00They went extinct here half a century ago, their majestic wings are soaring again above these Bulgarian crests.
00:30Perfect. This is what we wanted to see.
00:37By the time, it will start flying with the local birds.
00:44Europe is one of the rare places in the world where vulture populations are increasing.
00:50Here is the story of their long-awaited but fragile return in the Balkan mountains.
01:00Here we are in Kotel, in the east of Bulgaria.
01:07Decades ago, Emilian promised himself to recolonize the peaks of his childhood with vultures, inspired by successful experiences in Spain and France.
01:16They feed their chicks now. They are about to fledge.
01:21Various projects funded by the European Life Programme have helped reintroduce two species, the griffon and scenarius vultures, in their natural habitat.
01:30They are always very important because when an animal dies in nature, they go and eat it.
01:38They clean the environment from rotting meat. They prevent the spread of diseases.
01:52Recovery efforts are significant. The scavengers had to be fed. Electricity poles were insulated. Practices such as transuments were encouraged.
02:00But still, the life of a colony can switch at any moment. One of the greatest threats is poison.
02:10You see tracks of multiple birds in the same point. And now we are going to check the carcass they are feeding from.
02:18Some stock breeders poison carcasses to protect their flocks from predators such as wolves.
02:26Here it is.
02:28Vultures are collateral victims.
02:31Quite a big one.
02:33Buffalo.
02:35That's griffon.
02:37When it's such a big carcass, 30, 40 birds are gathering here.
02:41In a single case, one year, you can lose all the birds of the colony.
02:46How do you know if it was poisoned or not?
02:50First, there is no dead animals from any kind, but also flies. If you have dead flies, this is very suspicious.
03:00But here we don't have any. It is safe. It is clean.
03:05The vultures were able to feast in safety. Others did not have that chance.
03:09This is a bird which was poisoned and rescued in time.
03:14Another European project named Balkan Detox aims to strengthen law enforcement, raise awareness about this illegal practice and improve poison detection through technology.
03:26This bird already had a tracker, so she guided us to the poisoning spot.
03:33It shows you that the bird position is abnormal. That is the first sign.
03:38When you have the second sign, temperature decreases already too late.
03:43Some birds are even named as poison spy or poison detective.
03:49A new chapter is being written in Bulgaria. The last European species of vulture missing will be released into the wild.
04:00Next, we head to Stara Zagora.
04:06This is the Green Balkan NGO's Wildlife Rescue and Breeding Centre.
04:13Injured animals come from all over the country. They are healed, can reproduce.
04:18The most infirm animals help raise awareness among young people.
04:24We are the reason why they are here, why they are first.
04:26If I could help all of them, I would do that.
04:29A little behind, some protected birds are raised out of sight.
04:34Here is the one that is the centre of attention, the beaded vulture, Europe's rarest vulture.
04:41Spectacular.
04:44You have never seen them before.
04:46No, are you moved?
04:47I can tell.
04:48They are extinct not only in Bulgaria, but on the Balkan Peninsula.
04:53So that's why we put all our forces to bring these spaces back.
04:58They eat bones and that is unique for the animal world, which is very good because the other species of vultures, they eat the flesh, they eat the meat, the organs, and then finally come the bearded vultures, which will eat the bones and they will totally clean the nature from all the corpses and carcasses.
05:19This chick was raised here by its parents.
05:26It will be released along with two others from a Czech zoo.
05:30We follow the protocol which is made by our colleagues from Spain because they have already many, many years of experience.
05:41The operation is coordinated by the European Endangered Species Program.
05:45That is how they decide which chicks will come to Bulgaria, according to the bloodlines.
05:50It's like a constant exchange of birds between countries, zoos and centres.
05:56Soon to be free.
05:57Yeah.
05:58And famous.
05:59It's D-Day.
06:00A grand ceremony is held in the town of Slyven to celebrate the animal's reintroduction.
06:17Nature lovers have turned out for the occasion.
06:19Everybody's here.
06:20Very nice.
06:21The event is of symbolic importance for Bulgaria, but also of strategic importance for international ornithologists.
06:32With the return of the bearded vultures here in Bulgaria, it will not only return here, but will also be a stepping stone on different populations all across Europe.
06:40It's very vital for gene flow genetics to have a connection between Turkey, Asia and the Alps and the other parts of Europe.
06:50There used to be a connection.
06:51It has disappeared for decades and now we're returning the stepping stones in order to recreate that gene flow again.
06:57Right after the presentation, time for the release.
07:03It's taking place in the very same mountains where the last bearded vulture specimen was seen in Bulgaria 53 years ago.
07:12The three chicks, named Boev, Live BG and Balkan, are taken to these artificial nests protected from predators.
07:20For a month, they will be fed, monitored and possibly helped until they decide to fly away and later build their own nest.
07:30Of course, it's a very long way to go, but we are in a free country.
07:34We have the resources and the will to look a bit, ah, instead of being in war or suffering.
07:43So you do the right thing?
07:45Yes, I think so.
07:46It's time to leave these birds home in Bulgaria.
