Release of griffon vultures in Bulgaria

Release of griffon vultures

In collaboration with Green Balkans and Stichting Wildlife eindhoven Zoo is working on the reintroduction of the griffon vulture in Bulgaria. In this country, several European vulture species, namely the griffon vulture, the bearded vulture and the monk vulture, are completely extinct. In recent years, several griffon vultures from our park have been released into the Bulgarian countryside.

Green Balkans

Green Balkans provides various nature conservation projects. One of these is a program to maintain and increase the population of European vultures, particularly in Bulgaria. For example, they do this in the following ways:

Releasing vultures from zoos.
Improving living conditions for vultures.
Creating more breeding sites for vultures.
Promoting ecotourism and responsible agriculture.
Providing education for the local community.

Wildlife Foundation

This foundation is dedicated to the protection of endangered animal and plant species at home and abroad. For example, Stichting Wildlife also supports the Green Balkans project. Supporting a project is done in the following ways:

Volunteers provide education in parks such as Eindhoven Zoo.
Financial support for the project is made possible thanks to:
- Adoption parents who adopt an animal in our park
- Donations from park visitors
- Special events whose proceeds go to charity

The three released vultures

Eindhoven Zoo, together with Stichting Wildlife and Green Balkans, has released three griffon vultures in Bulgaria.

XJ Nikola

The first vulture from Eindhoven Zoo to be released in Bulgaria is XJ Nikola. Nikola hatched in 2016; two years later he moved to Bulgaria. There he settled tens of kilometers from the release point. Here he found a female. This vulture is not known to Green Balkans, so he probably forms a pair with a female born in the wild. In 2022, they raised a chick together!

Stanislav

Stanislav crawled out of the egg in 2020. When it became clear that he could be released in Bulgaria, Eindhoven Zoo seized this opportunity and together with Green Balkans and Stichting Wildlife started this process. In early 2021, Stanislav moved to Bulgaria, where he was released into the wild on June 3, 2021. Stanislav could be tracked through September 2025, after which his tracker dropped off due to wear and tear. Want to see where he has been?

View live tracker

Zivka

Zivka crawled out of the egg in April 2021. She is Stanislav's little sister and she too is eligible to be released. In late 2021, Zivka left for Bulgaria, where she was released into the wild in August 2022. The vultures were virtually extinct in Bulgaria, but thanks to the efforts of Green Balkans and others, the area is now once again a safe place for these birds of prey to fly around, form breeding pairs and raise their young.