Bearded vulture captive breeding for conservation – 2015 report published

Now that the breeding season in the bearded vulture captive breeding network managed by the VCF has finished, we are also publishing the final results and report for last year´s. As you can read in the document below, last year´s breeding season was a record breaking - from 33 hatchlings, 26 survived, surpassing the previous record of 25 fledglings in 1999. This year results have been even better!

Last year´s wonderful breeding success gave us the possibility to supply with birds all release sites (4) and at the same time include a high number of males in the captive network. Although the number of unpaired females could be reduced significantly from 11 to 5, we still have a lack of adult males which are in reproducing age.

Also, last year four new founders reproduced for the first time. Two of them are from the Pyrenees, enhancing the build-up of an ex situ genetic reserve from that European autochthonous population. Currently 6 Pyrenean birds are included in the EEP and three of them are reproducing - the remaining three started to mate and build nests.

The VCF would like to thank all the 40+ zoos, captive breeding centers and animal parks for their contribution and engagement.