Protecting and preserving the natural environment - Söder Releases a Bearded Vulture Into the Wild: Remarkable Creatures
At Berchtesgaden National Park, two young bearded vultures, Wiggerl and Vinzenz, have been relocated to a rocky nest site for the fourth time since 2021. These young males moved into their new home in the Klausbach Valley, where their kind had previously made their first flight attempts. The birds, approximately three months old and weighing six kilograms, were carried by employees of the Bavarian Nature Conservation Association (LBV) and the National Park to their protected enclosures at an altitude of approximately 1300 meters.
In about four weeks, these vultures are expected to start their flight practices. Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder personally announced the names of the two birds, which hold cultural significance: Vinzenz is named after the local saint of Ramsau, while Wiggerl refers to the diminutive form of Ludwig, the name of the Bavarian fairy tale king. However, Wiggerl wasn't born in Bavaria; instead, he comes from a breeding program in Finland. Vinzenz is from Austria.
Söder expressed his excitement about the event, "The naming ceremony for Wiggerl and Vinzenz was a heartwarming moment filled with joy and humility. #BeardedVultures are extraordinary creatures." This unique reintroduction project revolves around wildlife conservation and species protection.
The previous released vultures, Bavaria and Wally, came from Spain in 2021. Their successors - Dagmar and Recka - also originated from Spain, with Dagmar being the cousin of Bavaria and Recka the sister of Wally, who was killed by a rock. Sisi and Nepomuk, the first male, have been brought from Austria in 2023. To avoid inbreeding, it's great to have a bird from Finland now, said LBV bearded vulture expert Toni Wegscheider.
The young vultures weigh almost six kilograms, close to the weight of giant babies. Most three-month-old birds weigh around five kilograms. Currently, they receive baby food, such as inedible meat from hunted animals, primarily deer. Their initial meal after their perilous journey involved meat on deer bones, which were placed close to the nest. In a few months, they will almost exclusively consume bones.
To monitor the vultures' progress, fans can observe them live on a webcam. In addition, the birds are fitted with GPS transmitters, making it possible to track their flights later.
The aim is to promote the central European population of these birds of prey through reintroduction projects. "We plan to continue reintroducing until the birds can reproduce independently," stated Wegscheider.
The birds are sexually mature between five and seven years of age, but it is not anticipated that breeding success will occur in the German Alps before 2030. Bearded vultures have an impressive wingspan of up to 2.90 meters, making them among the world's largest flying creatures. They were on the verge of extinction a century ago. In 1879, the last bird was shot in Germany - less than a kilometer away from where the young birds were released at Hintersee in Ramsau. People previously labeled them as dangerous and believed they would throw lambs into the abyss. In reality, however, they are harmless to humans and animals and only consume carrion.
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