Since the late 1990's Natural Research biologists have been cooperating with vulture researchers in the Caucasus. Because of the huge die-offs of Gyps vulture species in southern and southeastern Asia caused by Diclofenac poisoning, research on other Gyps species like the Eurasian Griffon (Gyps fulvus) has been imbued with a new urgency. Click here to read more about NR's work on vultures in the Caucasus.
Since 2004 Natural Research and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) have used funding from the Darwin Initiative to examine more closely the movements of Gyps vultures. NR's role in this has been to work with our existing partners in the Caucasus, the Georgian Center for Conservation of Wildlife, the Armenian Society for the Protection of Birds and the Azerbaijan Ornithological Society, to better understand vulture ecology there. One aspect of our work has been to look at ranging behaviour of Eurasian griffons to monitor their possible movement into areas affected by Diclofenac poisoning. Click here to read more about the vulture declines in Asia.
Below is a map of movements made by a juvenile Eurasian griffon vulture fitted with a satellite-received transmitter (PTT). We fitted the tag in early July 2005 in a nest in northern Armenia. We lost contact with this bird soon after this map was made.
Two vultures (one griffon and one Eurasian black vulture) will be fitted with satellite tags in summer 2006, so keep an eye on this page for news of their movements!
Movements of a juvenile griffon vulture fitted with a satellite-received transmitter in the nest in July 2005 in northern Armenia.
|
