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Endangered Egyptian vultures return to Mallorca to breed
A rare variety of European vulture, the ‘neophron percnopterus', is breeding in Mallorca for the first time since 2006. The Balearic department for the environment has reported sightings of the vulture chick and its parents, the only pair of Egyptian vultures on the island, flying in the Llevant nature reserve in Arta.
The neophron percnopterus is the smallest of four species of vulture living in Europe. They were previously found in large numbers across southern Europe. Whilst still common on Minorca, the population on Mallorca declined sharply during the 1970s.
The species is protected by law and the department for the environment is setting up a conservation programme to protect the endangered birds of prey. The main threats to their wellbeing are the loss of natural habitat and the illegal use of poison.
