Poison-related mortality effects in the endangered Egyptian vulture (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Neophron percnopterus</Emphasis>) population in Spain |
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Authors: | Mauro Hernández Antoni Margalida |
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Institution: | (1) Laboratorio Forense de Vida Silvestre (LFVS), Edificio Alba, C/Rosa de Lima, 1, 28290 Las Matas, Madrid, Spain;(2) Bearded Vulture Study and Protection Group, Apdo. 43, 25520 El Pont de Suert, Lleida, Spain |
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Abstract: | A total of 211 poisoning incidents registered over the period 1990–2007 and affecting 294 Egyptian vultures (Neophron percnopterus) were studied to address the impact of poison-related mortality in the Spanish population. Poison-related mortality mainly
affected the birds on an individual level, with low numbers of individuals being found in each incident (mean 1.39) with 94.9%
being adults. Deaths were largely recorded (81.8%) during the breeding season, with mortality peaking during May and June
(52.1%). In contrast with other raptor species, a high proportion of adult individuals (74.2%) were found in the nest or its
surroundings. Age-related differences in the poisoning rate are probably related with different feeding and behavioral strategies
between age classes. The illegal use of poison to control predators was the main cause of mortality (93.8%), and particularly
in small hunting reserves (74.9%), since the kind of food resources that adults exploit are coincident with the type of baits
employed to illegally control predators and the preferred habitat coincides with areas of small game hunting. Our results
suggest that poisoning is probably one of the main causes of Egyptian vulture mortality in Spain. The eradication of the illegal
use of poisoning and supplementary feeding in specific territories to provide safe food seems priority for its conservation. |
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Keywords: | Egyptian vulture Mortality Neophron percnopterus Poisoning Population decline |
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