29.08.2019.
Project proposal: “Management of Griffon Vulture’s Population (Gyps fulvus) in Special Nature Reserves:” Trešnjica River Gorge” and “Uvac” through Marking and Monitoring Programs Using Satellite Technology and Video Surveillance” was supported by the Ministry of Environment Protection in 2019.
On July 9, 2019, a contract was signed between the Ministry and the Birds of Prey Protection Foundation for realization.
The project has been successfully implemented in all segments.
The project we are implementing is intended to serve as a model for the protection of Griffon Vultures applicable in all protected areas that once had this species and in livestock areas that have problems with the disposal of animal waste.
Activities on this project, as well as future ones, should lead to the implementation of systemic solutions in eliminating livestock waste and alleviating the growing needs of local livestock and incinerators, which pollute the environment, as well as efficient management of the target species population – the Griffon Vulture, as a biological resource of the Republic of Serbia through the application of modern standards.
We also intend to raise the branding and monitoring of Griffon vultures in Serbia to a higher level, to improve organizationally, financially and to achieve a standard in the protection of endangered birds of prey species. This is especially for the Tresnjica Gorge, from which the lack of data about the vulture’s population is a problem that must be resolved as soon as possible!
Data about the Project:
– Project title: “Management of Griffon Vulture’s Population (Gyps fulvus) in Special Nature Reserves:” Trešnjica River Gorge” and “Uvac” through Marking and Monitoring Programs Using Satellite Technology and Video Surveillance”
– The project is being implemented by the Birds of Prey Protection Foundation, Belgrade
– The project is being sponsored by the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Serbia
Project partners are:
1. Institute for Biological Research “Sinisa Stankovic”
2. “Uvac Reserve”
3. “Natura” Belgrade
4. Municipality of Ljubovija
The project was assisted by:
– Palic Zoo
– Publikum d.o.o. Belgrade
– DSP Chromatography
– Filip Travel
– Alpine Speleological Academic Club (ASAK), Belgrade
– “Ponir” Speleological Club, Banja Luka
The project consists of III phases:
Phase I is completed:
At the end of May/June 2019, the marking of the Griffon Vultures on the nest in the Uvac Reservation was done. Two mountaineering and speleological teams and ornithologists worked to visit the nests, capture the morphometric parameters of the birds, sample the DNA base and introduce the individuals to a unique record. 13 birds were successfully marked. In addition to marking, a 34th census was made of active nests of Griffon Vultures in Serbia.
Two more Ornitel satellite transmitters (OT-50-2G) were purchased, with supporting equipment and successfully tested.
Phase II of the Project involves a number of activities to implement the following:
1. Celebrating the International Day for the Protection of Vultures and Jubilees 25 years of the Foundation’s work, 7-8.9.2019. (You can find the agenda here … »< / a>)
2. Repair, transfer and activate trap/cage on the Tresnjica
Activation of the cage or trap in Tresnjica is necessary in order to be able to capture adult vultures and process them according to a standardized protocol.
3. Procurement and installation of cameras for monitoring at the Tresnjica feeding site
By installing a cameras at the feeding sation on Tresnjica, we can have a lot of informations about the diversity, the number of animals that visit the feeding site, as well as the frequency of visits, behavior, etc.
4. Procurement of an unmanned aerial vehicle – drone
The drone allows monitoring of active nests of vultures to be performed more easily, faster and with better quality. Whether it is the census of active nests or during the marking process, when it is necessary to know reliably and on time whether the nests are active or not.
5. Arranging the feeding area on Tresnjica
Regulation of the legal status of the property on which the feeding station is located. Arrangement of access road and associated infrastructure. Most of these activities fall under the responsibility of the local government and the manager of the SRN “Trešnjica River Gorge”, who are partners in the Project.
Within the Phase II of the project, it is planned that at least one Griffon Vulture from the Tresnjica colony should be marked, recorded according to a standardized protocol and a satellite platform (transmitter) set up, which will allow daily monitoring in real time, with a large amount of data.
Phase III is monitoring the birds which were marked and equipped with a satellite transmitter, the analysis and presentation of results. The final part is a report to the Ministry and the interested public on the achieved results on the Project, as well as the planned activities for the future.
Marking of Griffon Vultures May/June 2019 at SRN “Uvac”, 1st and 2nd shift:
