The Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus) disappeared in much of Europe, and in 2007 a reintroduction project started in Catalonia (NE Spain) to connect Southern Spanish populations with the one reintroduced in France.

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In 2013, diclofenac (a NSAID toxic for some species of vultures), was authorized for veterinary use in Spain. In 2020, one cinereous vulture fledgling was found dead in the nest due to diclofenac intoxication, being the first case in cinereous vulture, in Spain and Europe.

 

Trenca NGO and Agents Rurals from the Catalan Government are monitoring the breeding population. In the breeding season, chicks are captured from the nest for ringing, and some for GPS tagging.

 

We collaborate in the blood sampling of these individuals to evaluate their health status and investigate the exposure of the fledging to diclofenac, NSAIDs and other chemicals.