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Ramsau (dpa / lby) – The bearded vultures released in the Berchtesgaden National Park seem to enjoy the Bavarian mountain air: The young birds from Spain grow and thrive. “The two women are doing great,” reported project supervisor Toni Wegscheider from the State Association for Bird Protection. After the first days of acclimatization, the two still flightless animals explored their immediate surroundings vigorously, had a strong appetite and would get along well with each other.
The birds were carried into a rock niche on Thursday last week as part of a European reintroduction program, where they are constantly observed and inconspicuously supplied with food. They eat around half a kilo of bones with meat each day. “Fist-sized chunks are being choked down. We are always amazed at what kind of debris they gobble down,” reported Wegscheider. Adult bearded vultures can swallow bones up to 25 centimeters in size at one time. The pure scavengers specialize in the utilization of the bones of dead animals.
Differences between the two young animals are already visible. “The bigger Bavaria is physically superior to the Wally, sometimes displacing it with a nice piece of food. But the Wally is very bright and doesn’t accept much,” said Wegscheider. The three days younger animal then snap at the older one or simply whiz around it. “Bavaria is a massive lady, and Wally the lively petite one. They stay that way.”
In general, the small frictions between the two are harmless compared to other constellations that have already been released. Since 1986, the once exterminated by humans and with a wingspan of up to 2.90 meters, the largest breeding bird in the Alps has been laboriously resettled – the ten-year project in the Berchtesgaden National Park alone devours around three quarters of a million euros.
At the beginning of July, the bird conservationists expect the maiden flight of the two animals. They manage almost 30 wing beats a day, at around 200 they have enough strength to take off. They are observed by several dozen observers in the national park every day – and thousands via webcam (www.lbv.de/bartgeier-webcam). “The number of hits is breaking all records,” said Wegscheider. A real “vulture community” has formed on the Internet.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210619-99-57443 / 2
Source: DPA
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