Poisoned Egyptian vultures in Macedonia

FWFF Macedonia reports that at the beginning of April 2011 three Egyptian vultures (Neophron percnopterus) have died at a feeding place in Macedonia due to poisoning. With these three birds one successful breeding pair has been lost completely and another successful breeder has lost its partner. Apparently a local farmer disposed poison in one of the lambs fed to the vultures at a feeding site. Not only the three vultures were killed, other birds such as a common buzzard and a raven and several sheepdogs have also been poisoned and died. All poisoning that have occurred so far are part of the struggle of farmers with wolves.

The Egyptian vulture is currently listed as "Endangered" in the IUCN Red List. Just as with the black vulture, incredible (financial) efforts are put into restoring and protecting the wild population in Europe. As a species under protection, harming them is a crime. Local police took actions and TV reported the sad event.