{"id":15613,"date":"2022-11-26T20:15:19","date_gmt":"2022-11-26T18:15:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/klqewmpxo.cyon.link\/?page_id=15613"},"modified":"2024-10-18T13:38:11","modified_gmt":"2024-10-18T10:38:11","slug":"gaensegeier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azalas.de\/en\/griffon-vulture\/","title":{"rendered":"The Griffon vulture on Naxos"},"content":{"rendered":"

T<\/big>he island of Naxos now lives mostly off its tourism, but it also still has quite a bit of agriculture \u2013 at least for local consumption \u2013 and above all many shepherds and many goats and sheep: Naxos has more goats and sheep than all the other Cyclades and islands of the Dodecanese combined. And thus, surprisingly \u2013 given the size of the island \u2013 Naxos is also home to the only breeding population of the Griffon vulture in the Aegean, apart from Crete. Griffon vultures feed only on carrion from large animals (goats, sheep, donkeys…), which is why they can only survive where there are sufficient numbers of more or less wild sheep and goats.<\/p>\n

T<\/big>he vulture population on Naxos had declined significantly in the last decades of the 20th century, mainly due to losses from poisoned bait laid out by shepherds to kill ravens. As a result, the vultures no longer bred and roosted on Naxos itself, but only on the island of Herakleia to the south, from where they flew to Naxos every day in search of food \u2013 a highly unusual situation. Fortunately, however, the population has recovered in recent years. According to a survey by the Ornithological Society of Greece, more than 10 young vulture have hatched and grown up on Naxos this year (2022) and the population has risen to over 50 individuals.<\/p>\n

I<\/big>n the summer, we had the opportunity to observe vultures (from a great distance) at a nesting site in a rock face near K\u00f3ronos; later, we were able to watch more than ten vultures settle down to sleep at sunset on a smaller rock face of Mount Fan\u00e1ri.<\/p>\n

\"Griffon
\nA vulture flies away from its nest at \u2018K\u00f3lo tou Vouno\u00fa\u2019 below K\u00f3ronos.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Griffon
\nA second one joins it.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"\"
\nWe see the rock face from the hiking trail opposite. Despite the considerable distance, we hear loud cries, probably from the young vulture (nearly grown up by now) sitting in the nest.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Griffon
\nHere you can see the two vultures sitting in their nest; unfortunately, the photo is not very good due to the great distance.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Griffon
\nVultures at sunset on Mount Fan\u00e1ri<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Griffon
\nA beautiful sight!<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Griffon
\nEvery evening, the vultures settle down to sleep in the cliffs visible here (bottom center).<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Griffon
\nAt least nine vultures can be seen in the photo, eight sitting and one approaching.<\/small><\/p>\n

Back: The birds of Naxos<\/a><\/p>\n

See also:<\/p>\n