A sad ending to a noble story…
In the summer of 2019 the Belgium Planckendael zoo, part of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) for the Black Vulture donated a young cinereous vulture – Ultron to the ‘Bright Future for the Black Vutlure’ LIFE14 NAT/BG/000649 project to join the species reintroduction program in Bulgaria.
The bird was released in the Kotlenska planina region, near Kotel, where our colleagues from the Fund for the wild flora and fauna (FWFF) took care of it and monitored its adaptation.
The ceremony for the bird’s release was a true celebration, many institutions, experts and citizens supporting the species recovery in Bulgaria joined and gave us hope for nature restoration in Bulgaria…
After it successfully left the artificial nest, Ultron made its first insecure flights and landings tumbling down the hill. The young vulture felt more and more confident with each passing day and practically ‘grew up’ in front of us. After it spent the next few months in the release area, Ultron joined its brothers and sisters and ventured on the characteristic for young Black Vultures wandering – visiting near and distant countries, gathering experience, making important connections with others from its kind, before eventually returning home to settle down.
Luckily, Ultron did not waver far from Bulgaria – it wintered in the Greek parts of the Rhodope mountains, in the region of the Dadia National Park, with the only natural colony of the species on the Balkans. There, Ultron could observe its fellow Black Vultures and find out more about what it’s like to be one. It stuck to the territory of the Park, keeping safe and allowing local specialists to monitor its condition.
In spring, Ultron headed home and returned to Bulgaria.
Unfortunately, on the way back due to bad weather it had to make a stop near Kardzhali where it was shot by poachers. The satellite transmitter on the bird immediately sent data about the bird’s distress and our team went to check on the site. We found Ultron shot and covered in blood.
We immediately took it to the intensive care at the Green Balkans Rescue Center in Stara Zagora where a team of vets spent days fighting for its life. Despite the best efforts of veterinarians from the Rescue Center and specialists from the Trakia Unversity – Stara Zagora, the bird died less than a month before its first birthday. That was the tragic end of Ultron’s journey in life…
We cannot even begin to express how disappointed and angry we are at the perpetrators or the shame we feel towards all the people whose tireless work raising and transporting the bird, taking care of it has gone to waste, towards the institutions that generously donated it to our country, the European taxpayers whose money fund the LIFE program which finances our efforts and especially towards the whole team of international experts who work for the species reintroduction in Bulgaria…
A HUGE DAMAGE has been caused to Bulgarian Nature!
The Black Vulture is a species of conservation importance – protected under the Biodiversity Act from 2002.
It is included in the Red Data Book of the Republic of Bulgaria as well in Annex 3 to Article 37 from the Biodiversity Act. The habitats of the species are protected under the Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats. The species is protected under Article 37 from the Biodiversity Act in the whole country!
The breeding, rehabilitation and reintroduction activites of the Black Vulture in Bulgaria aim to create a sustainable population of the species in the country and are the result of extensive scientific research, field work and efforts from a large team of Bulgarian and foreign experts. The successful reintroduction of any bird from the species is the result of years of work and efforts that can be easily compromised by the loss of even one bird.
However, we have some bad news for all poachers!
In today’s modern world rare birds often are tagged with GPS transmitters to help monitor their movement and find out more about the ecology of the species. This helps experts monitor and analyze the data from the transmitters almost immediately. With the help of GPS transmitters, the video surveillance at the feeding stations and the camera traps more and more offences can be established and the perpetrators can be captured and sanctioned.
RIEW – Haskovo and the Kardzhali District Prosecutor's Office have been notified about the case. A case file has been opened and an investigation is under way.
We’d like to ask anyone who has any information on the case to notify the investigating bodies - Kardzhali District Prosecutor's Office and Ministry of Interior – Kardzhali.
Contacts:
Ivelin Ivanov – ‘New LIFE for Vultures’ LIFE14 NAT/BG/000649 Project Manager
Mob.number: 359887589995, email: iivanov@greenbalkans.org
In the summer of 2019 the Belgium Planckendael zoo, part of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) for the Black Vulture donated a young cinereous vulture – Ultron to the ‘Bright Future for the Black Vutlure’ LIFE14 NAT/BG/000649 project to join the species reintroduction program in Bulgaria.
The bird was released in the Kotlenska planina region, near Kotel, where our colleagues from the Fund for the wild flora and fauna (FWFF) took care of it and monitored its adaptation.
The ceremony for the bird’s release was a true celebration, many institutions, experts and citizens supporting the species recovery in Bulgaria joined and gave us hope for nature restoration in Bulgaria…
After it successfully left the artificial nest, Ultron made its first insecure flights and landings tumbling down the hill. The young vulture felt more and more confident with each passing day and practically ‘grew up’ in front of us. After it spent the next few months in the release area, Ultron joined its brothers and sisters and ventured on the characteristic for young Black Vultures wandering – visiting near and distant countries, gathering experience, making important connections with others from its kind, before eventually returning home to settle down.
Luckily, Ultron did not waver far from Bulgaria – it wintered in the Greek parts of the Rhodope mountains, in the region of the Dadia National Park, with the only natural colony of the species on the Balkans. There, Ultron could observe its fellow Black Vultures and find out more about what it’s like to be one. It stuck to the territory of the Park, keeping safe and allowing local specialists to monitor its condition.
In spring, Ultron headed home and returned to Bulgaria.
Unfortunately, on the way back due to bad weather it had to make a stop near Kardzhali where it was shot by poachers. The satellite transmitter on the bird immediately sent data about the bird’s distress and our team went to check on the site. We found Ultron shot and covered in blood.
We immediately took it to the intensive care at the Green Balkans Rescue Center in Stara Zagora where a team of vets spent days fighting for its life. Despite the best efforts of veterinarians from the Rescue Center and specialists from the Trakia Unversity – Stara Zagora, the bird died less than a month before its first birthday. That was the tragic end of Ultron’s journey in life…
We cannot even begin to express how disappointed and angry we are at the perpetrators or the shame we feel towards all the people whose tireless work raising and transporting the bird, taking care of it has gone to waste, towards the institutions that generously donated it to our country, the European taxpayers whose money fund the LIFE program which finances our efforts and especially towards the whole team of international experts who work for the species reintroduction in Bulgaria…
A HUGE DAMAGE has been caused to Bulgarian Nature!
The Black Vulture is a species of conservation importance – protected under the Biodiversity Act from 2002.
It is included in the Red Data Book of the Republic of Bulgaria as well in Annex 3 to Article 37 from the Biodiversity Act. The habitats of the species are protected under the Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats. The species is protected under Article 37 from the Biodiversity Act in the whole country!
The breeding, rehabilitation and reintroduction activites of the Black Vulture in Bulgaria aim to create a sustainable population of the species in the country and are the result of extensive scientific research, field work and efforts from a large team of Bulgarian and foreign experts. The successful reintroduction of any bird from the species is the result of years of work and efforts that can be easily compromised by the loss of even one bird.
However, we have some bad news for all poachers!
In today’s modern world rare birds often are tagged with GPS transmitters to help monitor their movement and find out more about the ecology of the species. This helps experts monitor and analyze the data from the transmitters almost immediately. With the help of GPS transmitters, the video surveillance at the feeding stations and the camera traps more and more offences can be established and the perpetrators can be captured and sanctioned.
RIEW – Haskovo and the Kardzhali District Prosecutor's Office have been notified about the case. A case file has been opened and an investigation is under way.
We’d like to ask anyone who has any information on the case to notify the investigating bodies - Kardzhali District Prosecutor's Office and Ministry of Interior – Kardzhali.
Contacts:
Ivelin Ivanov – ‘New LIFE for Vultures’ LIFE14 NAT/BG/000649 Project Manager
Mob.number: 359887589995, email: iivanov@greenbalkans.org
