Mallorca is the only island on the planet where this emblematic species, which was on the verge of extinction in the 1980s, survives
A black vulture flies through the skies of Mallorca. Photos: Fundació Vida Silvestre de la Mediterrània (FVSM).
The black vulture (Aegypius monachus) has flown over the skies of Mallorca for more than 5.2 million years, but at the end of the last century it was on the verge of extinction. The population of this majestic bird, which has a wingspan of almost three metres and stands around 1.10 metres tall, was drastically reduced, with just 19 specimens and a single breeding pair remaining. “There was a lot of misinformation, not to say ignorance. It was believed that black vultures were hunters capable of killing lambs, chickens and game species,” explains Pep Tàpia, coordinator of the black vulture project at the Fundació Vida Silvestre de la Mediterrània (FVSM).
This mistaken belief led to their persecution by farmers, stockbreeders and hunters, who were unaware that the black vulture is a scavenger whose function is vital for the ecosystem. “They are responsible for cleaning nature of animal remains that can be a source of parasites and infections,” stresses Tàpia.
Project to recover the black vulture
To reverse this situation, the FVSM launched a project 30 years ago to recover the species, which was the key to its revival. “It has been a success thanks to the methodology used, such as population reinforcement, environmental education and supplementary feeding. Not to mention the work of the Balearic Administration, environmental agents, volunteers and other conservationist organisations in Mallorca,” he says. Today, the population has multiplied to 400 specimens and 50 breeding pairs, and its conservation model has been exported to other parts of Spain and Europe.
Despite these advances, the species continues to face threats: collisions with aircraft or power lines and poisoning from the lead present in hunters’ traditional ammunition. But the greatest danger is the loss of its natural habitat, located in the Serra de Tramuntana. “Mallorca is overcrowded. On any given weekend, when the influx of hikers, both locals and tourists, increases, the pressure on the territory is enormous. From 10 o’clock in the morning they no longer have a peak to perch on,” warns Tàpia.
That is why the FVSM is focusing its current efforts on promoting harmonious coexistence through environmental awareness and education, a project supported by MITECO’s Biodiversity Foundation and financed by NextGenerationEU funds.
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