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Sardinia’s griffon vultures were on the brink of extinction at the beginning of 2010. <\/p>\n
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The population of the birds had been plummeting due to indirect poisoning, including from pesticides and chemicals ingested by animals they fed on. <\/p>\n
But today, the Italian island is home to more than 500 individuals, making it one of Italy\u2019s most impressive conservation success stories.<\/p>\n
Sardinia\u2019s griffon vultures risked extinction<\/p>\n
In 2014, Sardinia\u2019s Eurasian griffon vulture<\/a> population had shrunk to around 60, with the colony living solely between Bosa and Alghero on the west coast. <\/p>\n Toxic food sources were the main culprit of their demise, causing them to accidentally ingest pesticides, chemicals and lead shot from scavenged animals like wild boar killed by hunters. <\/p>\n The birds were also targeted by direct culling, despite not posing a threat to humans or livestock. <\/p>\n The decline of the species risked ripple effects in Sardinia<\/a>\u2019s ecosystem, as griffon vultures \u2018clean up\u2019 carcasses, helping to remove potentially dangerous bacteria that could cause infectious diseases in other animals. <\/p>\n Sardinia launches projects to save disappearing griffon vulture population<\/p>\n From 2015 to 2020, a European Commission-funded project began a push to reverse the decline<\/a> in the griffon vulture population.<\/p>\n The \u2018Life Under Griffon Wings\u2019 project focused on the Bosa area, where it worked to increase food availability, reduce disturbances in nesting areas, and raise public awareness.<\/p>\n In 2021, a sister project was launched. \u2018Life Safe for Vultures\u2019 will run until the end of 2026 with a budget of over \u20ac3 million and the participation of partners including the University of Sassari, the Forestas Agency, the Sardinian Forestry Corps and the Vulture Conservation Foundation. <\/p>\n The scheme has created feeding stations – known as carnai – to ensure a safe and regular food source for the vultures. <\/p>\n It has also improved the safety of power lines – where birds risked electrocution – and raised awareness among hunters about the use of lead-free ammunition to reduce cases of poisoning. <\/p>\n Griffon vultures start to thrive on Sardinia<\/p>\n Beyond improving safety, a key effort of the project has been to release young griffon vultures – many from rescue centres in Spain – back into areas of Sardinia<\/a> where the species has been absent for decades. <\/p>\n The final 15 individuals arrived from Barcelona in January, according to Italian daily La Repubblica. They are currently acclimatising in an aviary and will be released into the wild later in the year. <\/p>\n