Record number of young bearded vultures fledged in Switzerland
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Record number of young bearded vultures fledged in Switzerland
According to the Pro Bearded Vulture Foundation, the bearded vulture population in Switzerland continues to increase. A total of 26 bearded vulture broods came to term this year, the foundation said on Thursday. This means that the record set in 2023 has been surpassed.
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In canton Graubünden alone, 16 young birds fledged this year, the foundation said in a press release. The canton of Valais recorded seven fledglings, while one young bird fledged in each of the cantons of Bern, Ticino and St. Gallen. In 2023, the Foundation had announced the successful breeding of 25 birds throughout Switzerland.
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“We expect the first breeding pairs to settle in central Switzerland over the next few years”, said Daniel Hegglin, director of the Pro Vulture Foundation, quoted in the press release.
Reintroduction continues
Despite these positive figures, the genetic diversity of the bearded vulture population in Switzerland remains a challenge. According to the foundation, several young bearded vultures have developed defective plumage, probably due to inbreeding, and are therefore unable to fly. The foundation intends to continue reintroducing birds from genetically adapted lines.
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In the past, birds of prey were found throughout the Alps. At the beginning of the 20th century, they were exterminated. Since 1991, the Pro Bearded Vulture Foundation has been reintroducing the birds to Switzerland. By 2025, 589 bearded vultures hatched in the wild had fledged throughout the Alps, including 213 young.
Translated from French with DeepL/gw
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