Description
The news had been in the air for a few days, but it was only on 16 July that the Stelvio National Park experts confirmed it: 'After 26 years since the first nesting and reproduction of the bearded vulture in the Italian Alps (also in the Stelvio National Park, but not in Trentino), today, at last, the first nesting of the bearded vulture has been recorded in the Trentino sector of the Park.
The lammergeyer, also known as the lamb's vulture, with its 2.80 metre wingspan is the largest bird of prey among those nesting in Europe. The territory of the Stelvio National Park represents a key area for the success of the international reintroduction project and the recolonisation of the Alps by this magnificent animal.
"Over the years," the experts explain, "new pairs have formed and, at present, there are four in Lombardy (one shared with their Swiss cousins), three in South Tyrol and now, finally, the new pair in Trentino. Since 1998, 88 new lammergeyers have taken flight in the Stelvio Nature Park, making a significant contribution to increasing the population and colonising new areas.
The first bearded vulture in Trentino took flight on 16 July in Val di Rabbi and was christened Marco. "The strong link between the presence and success of the bearded vulture and the Stelvio National Park, where there are high densities of wild ungulates, testifies to the great importance of protected areas for the conservation of biodiversity, of which the bearded vulture is a silent ambassador that knows no boundaries and unites territories and people of the Alps".
The experts launch an appeal, recommending to enthusiasts and photographers not to disturb, avoiding approaching the surroundings of the nest, "which represent a particularly delicate area".
Read more:
Conservation and monitoring of birds of prey in the Stelvio National Park
Satellite telemetry project on a young bearded vulture: