Broadcasting Live from the Nest of the Endangered Egyptian Vulture

2 July 2018 - For the seventh consecutive year, the website www.LifeNeophron.eu broadcasts an Egyptian Vulture pair from the Provadiisko and Royaksko Plateau Special Protection Area, Bulgaria, thanks to a camera installed in 2012. Since then, every year this camera allows people to witnesses hatching and the first flight of young birds, a total of nine to date. This year the pair started incubation very late – at the end of April – so the babies hatched only a few days ago. Usually, chicks hatch in early June.

The camera for online observing of wild Egyptian Vultures’ nest is the only of its kind in the world. It was installed by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) team and was camouflaged so that it resembles a rock and does not disturb the vultures. Thanks to the camera, during these seven years RSPB has gained valuable information on the species' behavior and feeding, which is needed for their better conservation. BSPB has also gathered vast amounts of video material that was used creating the film "The Life of the Egyptian Vulture".

Every year news about the arrival of the pair, laying their first egg and hatching of the chicks enjoys great interest from the public not only in Bulgaria but from all over the world. The website  has had 60 000 visitors form 180 countries so far. Attention, interest and concern from the public is important for the conservation of the species.

The BSPB team will continue to provide regular information about the famous pair within the new LIFE project "Egyptian Vulture New LIFE", which brings together institutions and organizations from 14 countries spanning the Balkans, Middle East and Africa. The Coordinating Unit of the CMS Raptors MOU is one of the project’s partners.

Last updated on 02 July 2018