Ensuring a bright future for the Egyptian Vulture and traditional pastoralists in the Pindos area

The Hellenic Ornithological Society/ Birdlife Greece and the Eco Museum Zagori have been implementing, since September 2023, different conservation, and awareness actions in the wider area of Pindos. This new project, entitled “Working to protect the common future of Egyptian vulture and traditional livestock farming“, is funded by the Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust (PONT), under PONT’s Pindos-Prespa Connectivity Conservation Area (CCA) allocations, and will continue until August 2025.

But why do Egyptian vultures and traditional livestock farming share a common future?

The Egyptian vulture is currently the most endangered bird species in Greece with only five pairs left and its survival depends extensively on livestock breeding. Livestock farming activities can sometimes come into conflict with predators (wolves, jackals) when they attack flocks of sheep, goats, or cows. At times, people resort to the illegal use of poison to get rid of the predators leading in turn to Egyptian vultures falling victims to this.

Egyptian vultures rely, as mentioned previously, extensively on livestock breeding as their main source of food and they are an integral part of the species’ habitat. However, traditional farming is disappearing from the Greek countryside, substituted by a more intensive kind of farming. This affects not only the Egyptian vulture, but the landscapes and the biodiversity that comes with them. It also means the loss of a way of life and the cultural heritage attached to it; a fact acknowledged by UNESCO who has included transhumance in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

In order to address the different problems listed above, the project partners have been implementing a wide range of activities that aim to reduce the conflict with predators while working to increase the awareness of the public on the need to support traditional livestock breeding. The project builds on the ongoing efforts of both partners, who have been collaborating with livestock breeders in the area for the past several years. HOS is currently expanding its Stakeholders Network against poison, collaborating with traditional livestock breeders, providing them with legal non-lethal deterrent methods against predators, such as electric fences and fox lights, but also with the means to care for their sheepdogs, the most important deterrent tool of all, distributing medicines, anti-parasites, and first aid kits. This means, that if less farmers come into conflict with predators, even less will turn to poison as a solution. Alongside, two feeding stations are being operated in the area to provide safe and regular food for the vultures.

In tangent, innovative awareness-raising actions are also being implemented by the Eco Museum Zagori with the aim of recording and mapping the biodiversity along traditional livestock paths while engaging with the local communities. This is being achieved through initiatives such as BioBlitz workshops and Soundwalks. Educational programmes, including soundwalks for children have also been implemented. These activities contribute towards fostering a deeper understanding of the ecological significance of transhumance and local biodiversity.

In the coming months, HOS and EcoMuseum Zagori will continue their activities, including a mobile photo exhibition and video portraits that highlight the contributions of women to transhumance. These initiatives aim to bring attention to the conservation of the Egyptian vulture, as well as traditional livestock breeding and transhumance.

By: Hellenic Ornithological Society