Olaf’s trip in Bulgaria!
One more time we have been impressed by the recent tour of a Black Vulture in Bulgaria. The young bird, born only last summer, on his voyage, explored much of the neighboring country, leaving the Dadia – Lefkimi – Soufli Forest National Park on May 16th to return on May 25, after covering about 2000 km in 10 days. First, it moved east, towards Strandzha mountain, south of Burgas, where the species has been observed also in the past, and then traveled north, getting about 25 km south from the Danube River and the border with Romania. Then, he visited the Balkan Mountains, spending a few days in the Kotel and Sinite kamani areas where reintroduction programs for Griffon and Black Vultures are being implemented over the last few years under LIFE programs.
It is known that juvenile Black Vultures can travel long distances discovering new areas. The journey of the young “Olaf,” as the Black Vulture was called, became known due to a satellite transmitter mounted on it last autumn. The satellite transmitters are mounted by the Management Body, under the European program EPPERAA project «Protection and Conservation of the Biodiversity of Dadia – Lefkimi – Soufli Forest National Park» and they give us the opportunity to observe the bird movements in detail, to better know and understand their needs and the threats those impressive species might be facing, contributing to their more effective conservation.
