The 'LIFE Aegypius return - Consolidating and expanding the Cinereous Vulture population in Portugal' project started in September 2022 and is 75% funded by the LIFE Programme of the European Union (EU) and co-financed by Viridia - Conservation in Action and MAVA - Foundation pour la Nature. It has a total cost of more than 3.6 million euros.

This project is developed by a consortium that includes the following entities: Vulture Conservation Foundation (VCF), Palombar - Nature and Rural Heritage Conservation, Herdade da Contenda, Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves (SPEA), Liga para a Proteção da Natureza (LPN), Associação Transumância e Natureza (ATNatureza), Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre, Guarda Nacional Republicana (GNR) e Associação Nacional de Proprietários Rurais, Gestão Cinegética e Biodiversidade (ANPC).

The 'LIFE Aegypius return' project has as main objectives, within a period of six years (2022-2027):

• Doubling the breeding population of the cinereous vulture in Portugal, a species currently at risk of extinction, to increase from the current 40 breeding pairs, to 80;
• Increase the number of colonies from four to five, between 2022-2027;
• Improve, in a sustainable way, the conservation status of the cinereous vulture in Portugal, through the consolidation of its recolonization and breeding success, the improvement of its habitat and food availability;
• Improve the threat status of the species in Portugal from 'Critically endangered' to 'Endangered'.

The project's actions, which will be developed in ten areas of the Natura 2000 Network, seven of which in Portugal and three in Spain, will take place in the border area, namely in the Special Protection Areas (SPA) Douro International and Águeda Valley; Sabor and Maçãs Rivers; Côa Valley; Serra da Malcata; Tejo Internacional, Erges and Pônsul; Mourão, Moura, Barrancos; Guadiana Valley; Azana Field; Sierra de Gata and Pilas Valley and Canchos de Ramiro and Ladronera.

The cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus) became extinct as a breeding species in Portugal in the early 1970s. However, the species remained present in the border strip of the central and southern regions, with individuals coming from Spain. Only in 2010 did the cinereous vulture return to nest in Portugal, in the Tejo Internacional Natural Park. In 2012, the first nesting pair was recorded in the Douro International Natural Park and, in 2019, the second. This species only has one chick per breeding season, which makes it even more vulnerable in terms of its reproductive success. Due to its extremely reduced population, the cinereous vulture is classified as "Critically Endangered" in Portugal.

Promoters Palombar, VCF, Herdade da Contenda, SPEA, LPN, ATNatureza, Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre, GNR) and ANPC
Coordination VCF
Territory Natura 2000 Network
Funding LIFE Programme - EU
Co-financing Viridia – Conservation in Action | MAVA – Foundation pour la Nature