Bearded vultures were once found across the mountains of southern Europe, but during the 19th and 20th centuries, their numbers plummeted due to poaching, a lack of wild herbivores, and changes in farming practices. Today, populations tend to be isolated, while many birds die after colliding with powerlines, being shot, or even poisoned.
In 2007, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation joined the bearded vulture reintroduction programme set up in the Alps in 1989.
Last Sunday, July 2, in Saint-Dalmas-le-Selvage, the Mercantour National Park celebrated the 30th anniversary of the reintroduction and conservation of the bearded vulture with its President and in the presence of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco, who has been working for years with his Foundation to establish and preserve the bearded vulture in the Mercantour.
During the meeting, the Mercantour National Park President Charles Ange Ginesy and Director Aline Comeau reaffirmed the need to protect and promote this emblematic species of the Alps and Mercantour. However, through the art of small steps, we can already observe success which became possible thanks to the support of numerous partners and enthusiasts. Protecting and restoring wildlife can restore ecosystems, rebalance our global climate system, and create a healthier, more diverse planet where people and nature thrive together.
As we can admit, Bearded Vulture reintroduction proves that conservation efforts can change the fate of species on the brink of extinction.
Mikhaïl NEFEDOV
Président de l'association
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