Four lammergeyers will arrive in June to Gredos to join Risco, Galana, Chilla, Zapardiel and Benemérita.
The project for the recovery of this necrophagous bird enters its third year. The Foundation for the Conservation of the Bearded Vulture will release four specimens in the regional park of the Sierra de Gredos in June. This organization rescues eggs of this species in the Pyrenees when they see that they will not survive naturally and is responsible for raising the chicks to reintroduce the species in areas where they are no longer present. For decades no Bearded Vulture took to the skies of the Circo de Gredos. In 2022 the first two specimens, Risco and Galana, were released. Last year three more arrived, Chilla, Zapardiel and Benemérita. The names were chosen by popular consultation and refer to place names of the Sierra de Gredos except the last one, which was chosen as a tribute to the Guardia Civil. All five have moved around the regional park and are currently in the Circo de Gredos area and in the Iruelas Valley. The latter is the habitat of black and griffon vultures. “Recently, in a hide in the valley, one of the specimens, Chilla, has been seen interacting with other vultures in a quite correct way, maintaining the hierarchy and, as a good bearded vulture, dominating the others”, explains Juan Revesado, team leader of the Gredos team of the Bearded Vulture Foundation. At the beginning they are kept in cages where they are cared for with the least possible intervention until they can be introduced into the natural environment. The human team is very important since it is in charge of following the daily life of these birds. Each bird carries a satellite transmitter and a radiofrequency transmitter that allows us to monitor them visually every day. Each day we will go to see one specimen. If we need to provide food in the area, we will do so. The objective is that they live like a wild lammergeier. “What is mainly observed are the movements and behavior with other species so that we know that they are acting correctly and in a natural way.” The project will run until 2027 and by then between 15 and 20 specimens will have been released and could breed in the future. Their presence in the area may also encourage other passing bearded vultures to consider staying in Gredos as well. To involve the population of the region, the Foundation, the Provincial Council and the Campo Azálvaro Collective are going to launch an educational project aimed at students in the first cycle of primary education. Irene Jara, head of the Education Department of the Colectivo Azálvaro, explains that they approach children through games and storytelling, using models of four characters to explain the role of necrophagous birds and the story of Galana.
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