Ardeola 48(2), 2001, 183-190 THE DECLINE OF THE BEARDED VULTURE GYPAETUS BARBATUS IN GREECE Stavros XIROUCHAKIS*, Anastasios SAKOULIS** & Giorgos ANDREOU* SUMMARY.—The decline of the Bearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus in Greece. The Bearded Vulture Gy- paetus barbatus is considered to be an endangered species in Greece. The latest estimate in the mid 80s gave a population of about 25 pairs distributed over an area of about 8000 km2. In an attempt to update our knowledge on the post-1980 distribution and status of the species, we gathered all bibliographical references for the period 1985-1999 and conducted a field survey (1995-2000) in almost all traditional territories. Results revealed that an 84% loss of the species’ population and a 75% shrinkage of its breeding distribution have ta- ken place during the last decade. The present population consists of four breeding pairs that are distributed over 2000 km2 in Crete or an estimated 25 individuals. Population decline has been most pronounced in the mainland (>90% loss), where only one pair seems to have been left in the borders with the former Yugosla- vian Republic of Macedonia. Poisoning and direct persecution seem to have had the most serious impact on the species’ decline. Conservation actions such as safeguarding of nesting areas and reduction of human per- secution are urgently needed for the long-term survival of the Greek population of Bearded Vultures. Key words: Distribution, disturbance, Greece, Gypaetus barbatus, illegal shooting, poisoning, population size. RESUMEN.—El declive del Quebrantahuesos Gypaetus barbatus en Grecia. El Quebrantahuesos Gypaetus barbatus es una especie en peligro de extinción en Grecia. La última estima poblacional, realizada a media- dos de los años 80, resultó en 25 parejas, distribuidas en un área de unos 8000 km2. En un intento de ampliar nuestro conocimiento sobre la distribución y estatus de la especie en los años posteriores a 1980, recopilamos todas las referencias bibliográficas del periodo 1985-1999 y realizamos un trabajo de campo (1995-2000) en casi todos sus territorios tradicionales. Los resultados revelaron que durante la última década se ha reducido la población de la especie en un 84% y que ha sufrido una pérdida del 75% en su área de distribución como reproductora. La población actual cuenta con cuatro parejas reproductoras distribuidas en un área de 2000 km2 en Creta, o una estima de 25 individuos. La reducción de la población ha sido más pronunciada en la región continental (con una pérdida de más del 90%), donde tan solo una pareja parece permanecer en los límites con la República de Macedonia. El envenenamiento y la persecución directa parecen haber tenido el impacto más grave sobre la supervivencia de la especie. Acciones de conservación, como el salvaguardar las áreas de cría o la reducción de la persecución humana, son necesarias y urgentes para asegurar la supervivencia a largo pla- zo de la población griega de Quebrantahuesos. Palabras clave: Caza ilegal, envenenamiento, Gypaetus barbatus, distribución, perturbación, Grecia, ta- maño poblacional. INTRODUCTION in Europe, Northern Africa, Asia Minor, Midd- le East and reaches up to Mongolia and China, The Bearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus is a and the somewhat smaller, with no black ear cliff-nesting raptor that inhabits mountain re- tufts, Gypaetus barbatus meridionalis, that oc- gions of Eurasia and Africa (Cramp & Sim- curs in East and South Africa. The Bearded mons, 1980). It has been classified in up to five Vulture feeds primarily on bones of small- and subspecies (Dementiev & Gladkov, 1966; medium-sized carcasses coming from wild ani- Brown & Amadon, 1968; Glutz von Blozheim mals or domestic ungulates in areas of extensi- et al., 1971), although Hiraldo et al. (1984) dis- ve pastoral activity (Hiraldo et al., 1979; tinguish only two on the basis of plumage pat- Cramp & Simmons, 1980; Brown & Plug, terns: Gypaetus barbatus barbatus, that occurs 1990; Heredia & Heredia, 1991). * Natural History Museum of Crete. University of Crete, P.O. Box 2208, Heraklion 71409 Crete, Gree- ce. e-mail: [email protected] ** Hellenic Ornithological Society. Em. Benaki 53, 10681 Athens, Greece. E-mail: [email protected] 184 XIROUCHAKIS, S., SAKOULIS, A. & ANDREOU, G. The bulk of its population is concentrated in HOS archives in the last 15 years and Central Asia and the Himalayas (del Hoyo et mapped them on 1:50000 maps acquired al., 1994) while in Europe the species is regar- at the Military Geographical Service. In ded as endangered since it has disappeared from an attempt to validate many of these ob- most Central European countries during the servations, we crossed references to the XIXth and the XXth centuries (Bijveleld, 1974). same birds mainly on the basis of the pro- The present European population consists of no ximity of their geographical location. Mo- more than 120 breeding pairs which are distri- reover, we searched in detail the Stan- buted in the Pyrenees (Spain, France), the is- dard Data Forms of the review of the lands of Corsica (France) and Crete (Greece), Important Bird Areas (IBA) inventory in and the Alps (France, Switzerland, Italy, Aus- Greece. Fieldwork for the IBA network tria), where the species has been reintroduced update took place during the years 1995- (Tucker & Heath, 1994; Frey & Llopis, 1995; 1997, and in that period almost all moun- Xirouchakis & Giannatos, 1997; Heuret & tain areas of Greece were visited. Rouillon, 1998; Fasce, 1999; Heredia & Razin, 3. Personal communications. We collected 1999; Hofbauer-Hofer, 1999). and checked all sightings of the species In Greece, the Bearded Vulture was com- reported by people active in mountain mon in the beginning of the XXth century and areas (e.g. forestry staff, nature lovers, was present in almost all continental massifs climbers, stockbreeders, birdwatchers and and mountains of Crete (Glutz et al., 1971; wildlife biologists) for the period 1990- Handrinos, 1985). It was even reported as exis- 1995. We assessed the reliability of these ting on the island of Rhodes (Salvatori & Festa, records by asking the actual observers for 1913; Tortonese & Moltoni, 1947). However, it a detailed description of the species (e.g. declined dramatically in the very last decades body shape, silhouette, plumage and (Grubac, 1991; Tucker & Heath, 1994; Han- flight behavior). drinos & Akriotis, 1997), possibly due to: (a) 4. Fieldwork. In an attempt to confirm site habitat loss and degradation; (b) disturbance at occupancies in continental Greece, we vi- nesting sites; (c) food shortage; (d) indirect poi- sited the traditional areas of the species soning from illegal use of poisoned baits; and and searched all territories that had been (e) direct persecution by man. In this paper we reported to be active at least till early review data available on its status over the last 1990s, namely the mountains of Parnas- 20 years, aiming at determining its current dis- sos, Giona, Vardousia and Olympos. We tribution and population size. Reasons for the surveyed typical Bearded Vulture habi- decline and conservation actions in need are tats such as upland pastures and the alpi- also discussed. ne zone above the treeline during the ye- ars 1998 and 1999. In addition, an average of 10 days per month was spent MATERIAL AND METHODS in the field during the years 1996-2000 in the island of Crete in all areas located Information on the population size and bree- over 400 m a.s.l. Fieldwork took place ding distribution of the species in Greece in from early morning to sunset although ef- the 1980s and 1990s was obtained from the fo- fective searching effort ranged from 3 to llowing sources: 11 hours per day. 1. Bibliographical references and unpubli- Observations were made mainly from vanta- shed reports. Although the literature on ge points with good view over the sampling the status of the species is limited, we re- areas by using 10x50 binoculars and 30-60x viewed and assessed the few existing pa- spotting telescopes. Bird sightings were also pers and relevant data in official and un- mapped on 1:50000 maps. To estimate popula- published reports. tion size we paid particular attention to recor- 2. Archives of the Hellenic Ornithological ding individuals of different ages. Classification Society (HOS). We considered all Bear- was based on plumage patterns (Forsman, ded Vulture observations listed in the 1999), and we allocated each vulture sighted Ardeola 48(2), 2001, 183-190 THE DECLINE OF THE BEARDED VULTURE GYPAETUS BARBATUS IN GREECE 185 to one of four age classes: juvenile (0 until 21- both birds were present but no breeding activity 24 months), immature (21-43 months), sub- occurred, constituted a Bearded Vulture terri- adult (43-60 months) and adult (> 60 months). tory (Heredia & Heredia, 1997). We defined as core areas of Bearded Vulture For the breeding distribution of the species, the sites of major activity (Brown, 1984), we regarded the IBAs that had supported Bear- which incorporated one or more of the follo- ded Vulture territories during the last two de- wing features: (a) nests; (b) summer and winter cades (Grimmett & Jones, 1989). Relevant si- roosts; (c) bone storage sites (e.g. old nests, zes of these areas were derived from the potholes, rock crevices) and bone dropping are- reviewed IBA inventory (Heath & Evans, as, and (d) rocky outcrops producing thermal 2000). currents suitable for soaring that were regularly used by the birds. The location of these sites were registered with the use of the Global Po- RESULTS AND DISCUSSION sitioning System (GPS) and plotted on a LAT/ LONG map by applying the DMAP program The total range of the species has contracted (Morton, 1999). Core areas that had been oc- considerably during the last two decades in all cupied by a breeding pair or a solitary adult, as mainland massifs and, to a lesser extent, in the well as traditional nesting areas where one or mountains of Crete (Fig.