In the last two decades, around 500 vultures in the Balkans have died by poisoning. Yet, the real numbers are much higher, since only 20% of these cases are discovered and documented. According to the Foundation for Protection of the Vultures, at least 115 vultures are dying by poisoning annually in the Balkans, as a consequence of the damaging practice which is widespread among the population and the cattle farmers – to poison wild animals with poisonous traps as a method for decreasing their numbers.
Since December last year, the Macedonian Ecological Society (MES), together with eight other organizations from seven Balkan countries has been working on a project for protection of the wild animals and birds from illegal poisoning. Hence, 25 griffon vultures from the Balkans will be fitted with GPS trackers and their movements will be monitored continuously. MES is also a part of a regional project for the preservation of the Egyptian vulture, which together with the griffon vulture, are the only ones that still nest in North Macedonia.
The most common way of poisoning wild animals in the Balkans, MES explains, is setting poison baits for the wild predators or other wild or domestic animals that can cause injuries or kill cattle or other animals. As a consequence, the vultures, which feed only on dead animals, are also killed. This practice started 5 or 6 decades ago, when the state itself stimulated the poisoning of the wolves. The consequences can be evidenced today through the numbers of vultures that are facing extinction, but also through this practice of dropping poison baits, which has to be terminated.
“The illegal poisoning has already caused total extinction of the black vulture and the bearded vulture in our country in the last several decades. At the moment, the poison baits are the greatest threat for the remaining two species of vultures that live in our country, the Egyptian and the griffin. In Macedonia, for many years we have been documenting at least one poisoning every year, so one of the goals of the projects is to raise the awareness of the local population, but also of the institutions that are responsible for this longstanding problem, said Nenad Petrovski of MES.
The vultures are one of the most important chains in the maintenance of the ecosystems as they are removing carcasses from the wild, they are assisting in the maintenance of healthy ecosystems and act as natural recyclers. Their extermination must stop at once, and if we want their numbers in the Balkans to return to previous levels, the problem must be solved at once.
These days, MES shared the story of Sunchica, a young vulture that was fitted with a GPS tracker in October 2019, since it was discovered starving and exhausted in the Berovo region. These days, Sunchica after 5 months of wintering in the Near East flew over nearly 19,000 km to return again in the Balkans. The griffon vultures are one of the most recognizable birds that live in Notrh Macedonia, but their survival depends on many countries, since they are flying over thousands of kilometers before nesting. Last year, in Macedonia there were only 6 couples of griffon vultures that have nested and another 13 couples of Egyptian vultures.
“New Hope for the Egyptian Vulture” project is the biggest project for the protection of the Egyptian vulture in the world, which is implemented in 14 countries and on three continents, along this bird’s migration route. This is the smallest vulture in the world that in the winter is residing in Africa, and through the Near East, returns to the Balkans, where it is nesting. The project targets all threats along this route such as poisoning, poaching, electrocution, but also lack of food and places for lodging. Starting from this year, in North Macedonia there will be two locations for feeding the vultures – Vitachevo near Kavadarci and the newest is near Demir Kapija,” said Petrovski.
