Roaming the Length of Germany: The Astounding Journey of Vinzenz the Bearded Vulture - Captured in Lower Saxony
Dangerous trek to Germany: Capture of Vinzenz, the Bearded Vulture - Perilous trek to Germany: Bart Geier Vinzenz apprehended during travel attempt
Hey there! Let's have a chat about Vinzenz, a bearded vulture who embarked on an epic adventure across Germany. This tale comes from the environmental association LBV (State Association for Bird and Nature Protection).
Vinzenz, a scruffy-bearded fella, was set free in the wild last year as part of a reintroduction project in the Berchtesgaden National Park. Unlike his buddies taking leisurely tours in the Alpine region, Vinzenz had other plans. He took off towards the Upper Palatinate last week, traversed vast swaths of western Germany, and then continued on to the Netherlands.
From what the LBV bearded vulture expert, Toni Wegscheider, tells us, Vinzenz was quite the local celebrity over there. Bird watchers and ornithologists spotted him throughout his journey, even making it to the news.
Eventually, after a long flight of over 1,600 kilometers, little Vinzenz found himself on a road near Oldenburg. Two raptor specialists captured him, examined him, and discovered he lost about ten percent of his body weight. Thankfully, the poor guy appeared unscathed otherwise. Now he's getting tender loving care to get back in tip-top shape and will return to the Bavarian Alps.
That long Germany trip was no walk in the park, apparently!
Such lengthy treks by young raptors are rather uncommon, according to Ulrich Brendel, the project leader from the Berchtesgaden National Park. Typically, these birds stick to the Alpine regions.
As Brendel explains, going on a search flight for suitable habitats, like Vinzenz just did, is pretty risky. Wind turbines, especially along the coast, pose a threat. In a similar situation a few years back in the Netherlands, a young bearded vulture suffered a gruesome fate. Another was struck by a train. Another hazard involves the vultures eating the remains of hunted game that might contain lead shot, which can be deadly for them.
Bearded vultures were nonexistent in Bavaria, but since 2021 a total of ten of these magnificent birds have been released into the wild in the Berchtesgaden National Park. One of them met an untimely end due to a rockfall. Bearded vultures are known for being one of the largest flying birds in the world, with a wingspan of 2.90 meters.
To dig a bit deeper...
Reintroduced bearded vultures in Berchtesgaden sometimes venture out on extensive flights as part of their natural behavior and population-establishment efforts, though exact figures for these long northern trips aren't widely documented[4][5]. It's important to note that they face significant threats during long-distance movements, such as poisoning and risks from human activities and infrastructure while flying[1]. Keeping tabs on these birds and implementing measures to protect them is crucial to ensuring their continued success in the region.
- To aid in the protection and success of the reintroduced bearded vultures, it's essential to document their extensive flights and implement protective measures during long-distance movements, as they face threats from human activities and infrastructure.
- In light of Vinzenz's astonishing journey, environmental lifestyle choices and travel decisions should take into account the potential impact on endangered species such as bearded vultures, considering the risks they face from human activities and infrastructure during long-distance movements.
