There are currently around 350 black vultures on the island
Pep Tapia dedicates his life to the conservation of black vultures in the Tramuntana mountains of Mallorca. Presented by TUI. Video by Nova Producciones (Video lasts 7 minutes 05 seconds) | Youtube: Majorca Daily Bulletin TV
Pep Tapia looks almost reverently at the black vultures circling in the sky through his telescope. "They are so majestic with their wingspan of almost three metres," he says. More than 30 years ago, he made it his mission to dedicate his life entirely to the black vultures. He lives in Inca and now heads up the project to reintroduce the monk vultures (another term for black vultures) at the Foundation for Wildlife in the Mediterranean on Mallorca. "In the 1980s, the black bird of prey was almost extinct. There was only a small population left in Mallorca. That's why the foundation was set up near Pollensa," explains Tapia, who first moved to Mallorca from the Spanish mainland as a teenager. The foundation is also committed to other endangered species and carries out educational work with visiting school classes and other interested people.
Pep Tapia observes the nests of the black vultures in the Tramuntana Mountains for eight months of the year. The birds raise their young from January to August. They must not be disturbed and need protection.
"When I talk about a small population of birds, I'm talking about a breeding pair and maybe 20 young birds. Today, after 30 years of hard work, I can say that the efforts have paid off. There are currently around 350 black vultures on Mallorca. Among them are 45 breeding pairs that give birth to 34 to 35 chicks every year," he says, visibly satisfied. Four times a year, together with the ministry of the environment, he checks the breeding areas, which stretch from Soller to Pollensa. There are currently around 80 nests there.
The vulture's nest has a diameter of three metres and is correspondingly deep. A pair only lays one egg per year.
"We have ringed the vultures and labelled them with a code. This allows us to identify the birds from a distance using a telescope. A GPS transmitter enables more precise observation." One nest can even be viewed by anyone at any time via a webcam installed on YouTube.
Black vultures are birds that stay together with their mates until the end of their lives. However, monogamy does not mean that they always remain faithful to each other. "Sometimes there is an egg in the nest that has been fertilized by another vulture," Tapia points out. When it comes to raising their offspring, the parents work together. "Each partner has the same duties. This is quite different from other birds, where the male looks for and brings the food while only the female feeds the chicks directly." The black vulture can lay one egg per year, and it takes eight months from nest building to fledging. They are only ready to mate after four years. The vultures have a life expectancy of 40 years. In captivity, they can live even longer. "They build their large nests on pine trees and are all oriented towards the sea. With a diameter of three metres and a depth of around 1.5 metres, they are almost gigantic," enthuses Tapia, pointing to the huge nest on the screen.
The birds can be observed using webcams. Codes on foot rings also make the birds recognisable in the air.
Much of his work is at the foundation's observatory. "Look at the vultures in the enclosure," says Tapia, almost whispering in the observation hut with a window, as he points to the scavengers. "Only wounded animals that would have no chance of survival in the wild live here. Not only can they breed here undisturbed, they also help with the educational work. However, we have to be very careful," he emphasises.
"Feeding in the enclosure must be done quickly and inconspicuously," he explains. This is because the 'buitres negres' see us as a threat and become extremely stressed. "Some animals even vomit. In the wild, this means that a few people walking past can cause the parent pair to leave their nest with the egg or the hatched offspring," says Tapia sadly.
The wildlife foundation near Pollensa has an observatory where vultures can be watched. Visitors are also informed about the birds.
For this reason, exclusion zones have been set up in the Tramuntana Mountains; people are not allowed to enter without permission. "These zones only make up four per cent of the Tramuntana. The hikers have 96 per cent to themselves. But that's still not enough for them," he notes bitterly. "People are selfish. Having fun on holiday is often more important. They enter the protected areas despite the ban and so a lot of youngsters are lost. My job is also to protect the animals by raising awareness."
Support from the tourism industry: the project is sponsored by Europe's leading tourism group Tui and its Tui Care Foundation. The initiative was founded in 2016 with the aim of supporting sustainable projects in the destinations. The foundation focuses on the potential of the tourism sector as a driver of social development, education and prosperity. The Group promotes sustainable tourism in cooperation with local people.
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