Eleven black vultures raised and rehabilitated in Extremadura set out this week on a 2,500-kilometre journey to Bulgaria, marking a new phase in one of Europe's largest bird reintroduction projects. The birds vanished from Bulgaria more than a century ago. Now they are being sent to reinforce a population only beginning to recover after decades of absence.
Acción por el Mundo Salvaje (AMUS) is coordinating the operation with the Junta de Extremadura and the Vulture Conservation Foundation. The selected vultures come from the AMUS Wildlife Hospital in Villafranca de los Barros (Badajoz) and the Los Hornos Wildlife Recovery Centre (Cáceres). They will travel for nearly three days in a specially equipped vehicle built to protect their health throughout the trip. The route crosses several European countries and requires frequent stops under new EU animal transport regulations.
In Bulgaria, the birds will spend about two months in acclimatisation enclosures in a mountain massif. During this period, they will be kept away from human contact and fed through systems designed to prevent them from becoming accustomed to people. Before release, each vulture will receive a GPS device to track its movements and survival over the coming years. Gradual release is intended to reduce stress, help the birds adjust to the field and support pair formation alongside existing vultures.
In the Eastern Rhodopes, around Madzharovo, the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds and the Rewilding Rhodopes Foundation lead the reintroduction work. Black vultures (Aegypius monachus) arriving from Spain are held in an adaptation aviary before release. Partner facilities that raise and rehabilitate birds include GREFA, the Grupo de Rehabilitación de la Fauna Autóctona. The goal is to restore the species as a breeding bird in a region where it had disappeared in that role.
AMUS director Álvaro Guerrero says only the healthiest and strongest birds are selected for these international transfers, after lengthy veterinary care and quarantine. Most vultures admitted to the centres are chicks that have fallen from nests during heatwaves, suffering from dehydration or lack of food. Once recovered, only a select few are approved for reintroduction projects abroad.
Since the programme began 13 years ago, nearly 700 black and griffon vultures have been sent from Extremadura to countries including Bulgaria, France, Italy, Cyprus, Greece and other Balkan states. In Bulgaria alone, close to 90 black vultures have been reintroduced, resulting in around 15 breeding pairs and the first wild-born chicks in generations. Separately, the Eastern Rhodopes programme’s 2026 release of five birds brought its cumulative total to 45. At the time of that report, 20 released vultures remained in the area and seven had occupied nests, signs of territorial activity that could support future pair formation. These regional programme figures cover a different scope from the broader transfers from Spanish centres.
The species had been wiped out in Bulgaria by the end of the 19th century, mainly because of widespread poisoning campaigns targeting large predators, which also devastated scavenger bird populations. The recovery effort aims to rebuild a stable breeding population, with further releases planned through 2029. Conservation teams hope the birds will range across the Eastern Rhodopes and neighbouring Sakar, join existing wild vultures and eventually produce offspring.
GPS transmitters allow conservationists to follow each released bird and assess its adaptation and survival. The monitoring matters because threats persist after release: poisoned bait, wind turbine collisions, and electrocution or collisions involving power lines. Bulgarian National Radio quoted Georgi Stanev describing these as major obstacles for vultures in the wild. Long-term recovery depends on releases and on reducing hazards across the wider field.
Extremadura's role as a source region is impressive: the area is home to about 900 breeding pairs of black vultures, representing roughly half of Spain's population and 40% of the European total. Basic colonies are found in the Sierra de San Pedro and Monfragüe National Park. Conservationists warn, but, that this stronghold is not guaranteed. Infrastructure development, land-use changes and certain environmental policies could threaten the region's unique natural heritage.
Beyond their symbolic value, black vultures help maintain environment health by rapidly removing animal carcasses. This helps prevent disease outbreaks and reduces the costs of livestock waste disposal. AMUS says the birds provide an impressive sanitary service at no cost, acting as the final link in the ecological chain.
Transfers like these are logistically complex, particularly when schedules clash with favourable weather conditions. Guerrero acknowledges that transporting animals during heatwaves is far from ideal, but administrative permits dictate the timing. The challenge reflects broader issues in European wildlife management, where cross-border cooperation and regulatory changes can affect the pace and effectiveness of conservation work. Recent changes to transport rules, for example, have increased the number of mandatory stops, extending journeys that once took just over a day.
The wider vulture conservation effort also receives EU LIFE funding. A 2026 allocation reported for Bulgarian vulture conservation was €5.2 million, alongside €7.6 million for a related Romanian project. The Bulgarian funding supports protection and restoration measures for several vulture species, including black and griffon vultures, providing broader institutional context for conservation work in the region.
Spain's leadership in vulture conservation stands out in Europe, with Extremadura a model for reintroduction efforts. The region's experience is increasingly relevant as other countries face challenges in wildlife management and habitat restoration. In a related development, authorities in Catalonia are considering new measures for major highways, including tolls on basic routes, as explored in this report on Catalonia's highway toll proposals.
Conservationists across Europe will track the eleven black vultures as they settle into their new environment in Bulgaria.
