Among the victims were two birds tagged with GPS/GSM transmitters as part of the LIFE Aegypius Return project
The Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus) is a protected species under national and international legislation. In Portugal, killing or disturbing this bird is a criminal offence punishable by up to five years in prison. Unfortunately, however, persecution of this species remains a serious threat and mortality factor. In recent months, at least three Cinereous Vultures born in Portugal have been shot, which led the hunting and conservation sectors to unite and condemn such actions.
Characterizing environmental crime
The tagging of Cinereous Vultures with remote monitoring devices, as part of the LIFE Aegypius return project, has made it possible to obtain more concrete information on the type of threats these birds face on the Iberian Peninsula, as well as knowing the exact time and place of accidents and criminal events. However, it is not possible to tag all Cinereous Vultures, and the information gathered by the authorities and wildlife recovery centres remains essential. Collaboration between all entities helps to understand and characterize the overall threat landscape, which sadly continues to include targeted crimes against the Cinereous Vulture (and other species).
Shot Cinereous Vultures
Shooting is among the environmental crimes affecting the Cinereous Vulture. Here are some of the most recent cases.
Mirante
The Cinereous Vulture Mirante hatched in 2023 at Herdade da Contenda, in southern Portugal. On July 13 of that year he was tagged in the nest with rings and a GPS/GSM transmitter. He left the nest on August 15, 2023, and during the following year remained mainly in northwestern Andalusia, with occasional dispersal flights through Alentejo, along the Portugal-Spain border, and into Spanish territory, reaching the Toledo region. In September 2024, an anomaly was detected in the transmitter data, triggering an alert to Junta de Andalucía rangers and a field search, which also involved LPN (Liga para a Proteção da Natureza). The worst was confirmed: Mirante’s carcass was recovered by authorities and sent for investigation at CAD (Centro de Análisis y Diagnóstico de la Fauna Silvestre), the reference lab for wildlife mortality cases under the Andalusian regional government. The necropsy confirmed what the remote monitoring data had already suggested: Mirante was shot with a shotgun while flying in the Huelva region, about 15 km from the Portuguese border.
Bobadela
Last November, a juvenile Cinereous Vulture was shot in Bobadela, near Lisbon. This is not a typical habitat for the species, but juveniles (or disoriented birds, sometimes suffering from poisoning or neurological symptoms) occasionally undertake long dispersal flights, moving away from their natural habitats. Because they are unable to feed themselves, these birds are often found very weak and exhausted in urban or coastal areas. It is crucial for the authorities to capture these vulnerable vultures and transfer them to wildlife rehabilitation centers. However, their weakness also makes them easy targets for persecution and crime, and authorities do not always arrive in time. This was the case with a 2024-born Cinereous Vulture found shot in Bobadela, last November. The bird was taken to LxCRAS (Lisbon Wildlife Rehabilitation Center) while still alive, but unfortunately, he did not survive his injuries.
Pousio
Pousio is the only known chick from the most recent colony at Herdade do Monte da Ribeira in Vidigueira, southern Portugal. At the end of January, estate staff found Pousio on the ground in distress, displaying abnormal behavior. The ICNF (Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests) was called and promptly collected the bird, transferring him to LxCRAS. The diagnosis was atrocious: Pousio had been shot in the back with a shotgun while perched. The large number of pellets indicated that the shot was fired at close range, leaving no doubt about the shooter’s intent. Pousio had 16 pellets and smaller fragments in one leg, six pellets and fragments in the other, plus a lead shot lodged in the pectoral muscle. The injuries required several veterinary interventions, including the removal of a claw. Pousio is recovering, but even if he survives, he has high levels of lead contamination in his body, which, together with the injuries, may affect his quality of life, survival chances, and reproductive ability.
Images of the legs of the Cinereous Vulture Pousio. Left: bruising and gunshot wounds. Right: X-ray image showing a large number of pellets. © LxCRAS
An incomprehensible crime
The Cinereous Vulture is an obligate scavenger bird. This means it feeds exclusively on dead animals (mainly wild ungulates and livestock). It is not a predator, does not negatively impact agriculture or human activities, and poses no threat to people or animals—in fact, quite the opposite. By consuming carcasses in the natural environment, it plays an essential role in public health and ecosystem balance.
Once a common bird in Portugal, the Cinereous Vulture was driven to extinction as a breeding species in the 1970s due to persecution, habitat loss, poisoning, and other factors. Its return only became possible four decades later, with the first chicks born in Tejo Internacional in 2010.
Disturbing or killing a Cinereous Vulture is an incomprehensible and unjustifiable crime that undermines the conservation efforts and investments made to restore the species.
Every dead vulture is not only a lost individual but also a lost opportunity for generating offspring, further restricting the species’ ability to recover.
Condemnation by a wide range of entities
The recent incidents have sparked a unified movement of rejection and condemnation from authorities, nature conservation organizations, and hunting sector entities, all of which strongly denounce such criminal practices.
ICNF published a video of Pousio undergoing rehabilitation, highlighting the importance of the species and reinforcing the criminal nature of targeting protected species.
The three First-Level Organizations of the Hunting Sector in Portugal – ANPC (Associação Nacional de Proprietários Rurais Gestão Cinegética e Biodiversidade), FENCAÇA (Federação de Caçadores) e CNCP (Confederação Nacional dos Caçadores Portugueses) – have joined the cause. Together with the LIFE Aegypius Return consortium, issued a formal statement condemning these illegal acts:
“Crimes against protected species, regardless of their motivations, are condemnable, and those responsible must be held accountable. Moreover, it is essential to continue efforts to prevent and eradicate similar incidents”.
Fighting crime depends on cooperation
Wildlife persecution is an environmental crime. The punishment of these cases depends on a solid criminal investigation, which begins with the detection or reporting of the cases.
An effective fight against wildlife crime depends on the collaboration of everyone: authorities, veterinarians, non-governmental organisations, but also all citizens, including hunters. Reporting crimes is crucial! If you witness or suspect illegal activities in Portugal, report them through:
- SOS Environment and Territory Hotline – 808 200 520
- Website: www.gnr.pt/ambiente.aspx
This service is available 24/7, all year round.
The LIFE Aegypius Return project is co-financed by the European Union's LIFE programme. Its success depends on the involvement of all the relevant stakeholders, and the collaboration of the partners: the Vulture Conservation Foundation (VCF), the coordinating beneficiary, and the local partners Palombar - Conservação da Natureza e do Património Rural, Herdade da Contenda, Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves, Liga para a Protecção da Natureza, Associação Transumância e Natureza, Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre, Guarda Nacional Republicana and Associação Nacional de Proprietários Rurais Gestão Cinegética e Biodiversidade.
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