Newsroom
Cyprus has recorded its first successful Griffon Vulture breeding season in five years, marking an important step in ongoing efforts to restore the island's critically endangered population.
According to a joint announcement from BirdLife Cyprus and the Game and Fauna Service, conservation teams identified five breeding pairs during the 2026 nesting season. Three chicks have already hatched, with officials continuing to monitor all active nests.
Most of the breeding pairs include vultures brought from Spain through the LIFE "Life with Vultures" conservation project. These birds, released in Cyprus in 2022 and 2023, have now reached breeding age, providing the first clear evidence that the reintroduction program is producing results.
One pair has particular conservation value. It consists of the last surviving female of Cretan origin, transferred to Cyprus through the GYPAS project and released in 2015, paired with a male born naturally on the island in 2021. Conservationists describe this pairing as a link between more than a decade of restoration work.
The return of nesting activity to historic breeding locations has also encouraged researchers. One nesting site had remained unused for approximately 15 years before becoming active again this season, suggesting that vultures are beginning to reclaim parts of their former range.
The three confirmed chicks will be fitted with identification rings and GPS transmitters before they leave the nest. Tracking their movements and survival will provide valuable information for future management and allow conservation teams to respond if problems arise.
Although this year's breeding success represents meaningful progress, the Griffon Vulture remains one of Cyprus' most threatened bird species. Illegal poisoned bait continues to be the leading cause of mortality, while electrocution from power infrastructure remains another significant risk. Protecting nesting areas from human disturbance is also considered essential during the breeding season, when even temporary disruptions can cause adults to abandon their nests.
To reduce disturbance, protection zones were established around two nests located within the British Sovereign Base Areas in cooperation with the Sovereign Base Areas Administration, BirdLife Cyprus, and the Game and Fauna Service.
Following years of setbacks, including the loss of breeding vultures to poisoning incidents in 2022 and 2023, this year's results provide renewed optimism that sustained conservation work can rebuild Cyprus' Griffon Vulture population through natural breeding.
