Action on multiple fronts, illegal poisoning and wind farm planning, is required to reverse the decline of the Egyptian vulture in southern Spain

Abstract

32Large body-sized avian scavengers, including the Egyptian vulture (Neophron 33 percnopterus), are globally threatened due to human-related mortality so guidelines 34 quantifying the efficacy of different management approaches are urgently needed. We 35 used 14 years of territory and individual-based data on a small and geographically 36 isolated Spanish population to estimate survival, recruitment and breeding success. We 37 then forecasted their population viability under current vital rates and under 38 management scenarios that mitigated the main sources of non-natural mortality at 39 breeding grounds (fatalities from wind farms and illegal poisoning). Mean breeding 40 success was 0.68 (SD=0.17) under current conditions. Annual probabilities of survival 41 were 0.72 (SE=0.06) for fledglings and 2 yr old non-breeders, 0.73 (SE=0.04) for non-42 breeders older than 2 yrs old and 0.93 (SE=0.04) for breeders. Probabilities of 43 recruitment were 0 for birds aged 1 to 4, 0.10 (SE=0.06) for birds aged 5 and 0.19 44 (SE=0.09) for older birds. Population viability analyses estimated an annual decline of 45 3-4% of the breeding population under current conditions. Our results indicate that only 46 by combining different management actions in the breeding area, especially by 47 removing the most important causes of human-related mortality (poisoning and 48 collisions on wind farms), will the population grow and persist in the long term. 49 Reinforcement with captive breeding may also have positive effects but only in 50 combination with the reduction in causes of non-natural mortality. These results, 51 although obtained for a focal species, may be applicable to other endangered 52 populations of long-lived avian scavengers inhabiting southern Europe.53 54

Relative contribution of local demography and immigration in the recovery of a geographically-isolated population of the endangered Egyptian vulture

“…We also provided a direct quantification of this connexion from local monitoring data in line with a recent prediction of viability analyses suggesting that the annual immigration of 1 or 2 birds should have partly driven the increase of the Catalan population (Tauler et al, 2015). These results contrast with the general idea that Egyptian Vulture was considered highly philopatric according to CR data (average natal dispersal distance: 36 ± 42 km; range = 0-150 km; n = 22; Grande, 2006), and as a consequence, population viability analyses were conducted assuming closed populations (García-Ripollés and López-López, 2011;Sanz-Aguilar et al, 2015). However, the paucity of CR surveys in Pyrenees and Iberian Peninsula implied a low detection of long-distance dispersers whereas some birds could disperse among populations, as showed by the increasing proportion of non-ringed birds seen at restaurants and the recent identification of three Spanish birds recruited in south-eastern France (authors' unpublished data).…”

Spatial and temporal movements in Pyrenean bearded vultures (Gypaetus barbatus): Integrating movement ecology into conservation practice

“…As a result, an increase in conservation actions outside protected areas is a priority in any attempt to reduce the risk of non-natural mortality46. Of non-natural mortality factors, the risk of ingesting poison bait is one of the most serious factors affecting bearded vultures36 and other avian scavengers4849505152 around the world. Other factors such as wind farms, lead poisoning and collisions with power lines have also been identified as drivers of non-natural mortality363853.…”

Effects of Renewable Energy Production and Infrastructure on Wildlife

“…This result in the decline in the abundance of some breeding birds such as red grouses Lagopus lagopus scoticus , snipes Gallinago gallinago and curlews Numenius arquata (in some cases by up to 50 % within 500 m of the turbines during construction), without general recoveries after the fi rst year of operation (Pearce-Higgins et al 2009, 2012. Another study focused on the impact of wind farm mortality on the demography of an endangered species, the Egyptian vulture Neophron percnopterus , show that even very low levels of additional mortality can be signifi cant for this long-lived species with low productivity and slow maturation rate (Carrete et al 2009 ;Sanz-Aguilar et al 2015 ), as is the case with many endangered or rare long-lived species (Saether and Bakke 2000 ). Very low reductions in survival rates of territorial and non-territorial birds (−0.015 and −0.008, respectively) associated with wind-farms can have signifi cant population impacts (Carrete et al 2009 ;Bellebaum et al 2012 ;Sanz-Aguilar et al 2015 ).…”

“…Another study focused on the impact of wind farm mortality on the demography of an endangered species, the Egyptian vulture Neophron percnopterus , show that even very low levels of additional mortality can be signifi cant for this long-lived species with low productivity and slow maturation rate (Carrete et al 2009 ;Sanz-Aguilar et al 2015 ), as is the case with many endangered or rare long-lived species (Saether and Bakke 2000 ). Very low reductions in survival rates of territorial and non-territorial birds (−0.015 and −0.008, respectively) associated with wind-farms can have signifi cant population impacts (Carrete et al 2009 ;Bellebaum et al 2012 ;Sanz-Aguilar et al 2015 ). Regrettably, this a widespread scenario affecting many other long-lived endangered species also killed at wind farms in different European countries (e.g., at least 10 white-tailed sea eagle Haliaeetus albacilla per year in Norway; http:// www.statkraft.com/pub/wind_power/feature_articles ), in the USA (e.g., 65 golden eagles Aquila chrysaetos in California per year; Smallwood and Thelander 2008 ) and in Australia (e.g., at least 12 Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagles Aquila audax fl eayi in 4 years; http://www.windaction.org/news/17683 ).…”