GPS Trackers Reveal Surprising Journeys of Released Vultures in Israel

Two vultures, recently fitted with GPS transmitters as part of a monitoring program, were released back into the wild in the Lower Galilee region of Israel. Shortly after their release, the transmitters provided intriguing data: one vulture headed towards the Carmel region, while the other flew towards Gamla in the Golan Heights.

The vultures were captured as part of the "Winged Wings" project, a collaborative effort between the Israel Electric Corporation, the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, and the Nature and Parks Authority, aimed at conserving vulture and raptor populations in Israel. Before their release, the birds underwent examinations, blood samples were taken, and they were tagged with identification bands and GPS transmitters to track their movements.

One of the released vultures, a young bird identified by the tag S00, had no prior markings. Its flight towards the Carmel has led researchers from the Nature and Parks Authority to speculate that it might be one of the young birds that hatched and fledged from the recently re-established vulture colony in that area. "The young bird had no prior markings, so we had no previous historical or health information about it. This current capture is essentially our first encounter with it," explained Ohad Hatzofe, an ecologist of wild birds at the Nature and Parks Authority. He added that blood samples help detect pathogens and heavy metals that could harm the vultures, providing insights into both individual health and the broader environment.

Currently, over 100 vultures in Israel are equipped with GPS transmitters, representing nearly half of the country's vulture population. The Nature and Parks Authority plans to tag approximately 60 more vultures this autumn, aiming to monitor about 75% of the population. These transmitters are crucial for tracking vulture locations, flight paths, and identifying potential dangers, such as poisoned carcasses or injured birds, allowing for rapid intervention.

Vultures play a vital ecological role as scavengers, but their populations have drastically declined from thousands in the early 20th century to much smaller numbers today. Major threats include illegal poisoning, veterinary drugs in carcasses, electrocution, collisions with infrastructure, and disturbances at nesting sites. The re-establishment of a nesting colony in the Carmel cliffs after decades of absence offers hope, and researchers are optimistic that the young vulture's journey to the area may contribute to the population's recovery.