For years now, vultures have been proving to us that wildlife knows no borders. For this reason, research and protection often require cross-border cooperation.

A few days ago, we received some good news from our colleagues in BulgariaBulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds – BirdLIFE Bulgaria – BSPB) about a juvenile Egyptian vulture with a Greek metal ring on its leg. BSPB researchers used a safe method to catch the bird and fit it with a transmitterThe unique code on the bird's ring immediately revealed its origin. It is one of two siblings born in 2022 in one of the last nests of the species in Greece, here in the Dadia Forest. But the bird's story is even more exciting, because both siblings were rescued rom a large fire that broke out in Dadia National Park in July 2022 and threatened their nest. The two birds were not yet able to fly and were taken away as a precaution until the danger of the fire had passed. However, before returning to the nest, they were ringed with metal rings. Almost immediately after their return to the nest, the parents of the two chicks began to care for them and showed no change in their behavior towards them. Then, after a few days, the siblings were observed making their first flight and in early September they began their journey to Africa.

For three whole years we had no news of them, as a metal ring can only be read if the bird is found alive or dead in the hands of researchers. The metal ring is small and its code cannot be read by telescope. Knowing the high mortality rate of young Egyptian vultures, this news from Bulgaria gave us great joy and hope. This particular Egyptian vulture is now 3 years old and, after its journey from Africa, is visiting the mountainous Rhodope region in an attempt to find a suitable place to settle when it reaches breeding age. The SPBT team continues its long-term monitoring of the Egyptian vulture in Thrace and hopes to record the bird in a nest in the very near future. With the help of the transmitter, we will learn even more about its movements here in the region, but also in Africa.

We wish him good exploration, safe travels, and many offspring that will contribute to the survival of the species in the Balkans!

 * * The monitoring of the Egyptian vulture in Thrace is carried out every year by the Thrace Biodiversity Protection Society as part of the "Alliance for Wildlife," an initiative implemented with the support of WWF Greece in collaboration with 11 Greek environmental non- governmental organizations and a shared vision for the prosperity of wildlife and humans.