LIFE Aegypius Return unlocks food reinforcement for vultures in southern Portugal

First private unfenced feeding areas for vultures approved at Herdade da Contenda — a key milestone in boosting vultures’ conservation in the country.

In Portugal, scavenger birds face a confirmed food shortage, which limits their ability to reproduce and survive. Although since 2018 legislation has allowed the disposal of cattle carcasses on extensive livestock farms to supplement the feeding of these important birds, the implementation of this measure has been nearly nonexistent. Herdade da Contenda, in southern Portugal, recently saw the approval of two private unfenced feeding areas for necrophagous birds (APAAN, the Portuguese acronym), as part of the food reinforcement strategy for the Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus) developed by the LIFE Aegypius Return project. These are the first of 56 planned APAAN across the country.

Herdade da Contenda, in the municipality of Moura. ©VCF

Portugal lacks food for scavenging birds

A recent study, coordinated by the LPN (League for the Protection of Nature) and carried out as part of the LIFE Aegypius Return project, demonstrated that food shortages for necrophagous birds are widespread, though varying in severity across the different Special Protection Areas (SPA) assessed. These birds, which include endangered and protected species such as the Cinereous Vulture and the Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus), feed mainly on the carcasses of wild ungulates, such as deer and roe deer, or extensively farmed livestock. Without sufficient food available, these scavengers struggle to reproduce and survive. Legislation recognises the importance of these birds in maintaining the health of ecosystems and people. The National Action Plan for the Conservation of Necrophagous Birds (PACAN) specifically states measures to increase food availability for these species.

Cinerous Vultures at a feeding station for scavenging birds. © Bruno Berthemy

A legal framework for feeding vultures

Traditionally, food reinforcement has been provided through vulture feeding stations (CAAN). These are enclosed areas that follow strict technical and costly requirements, where animal carcasses or parts (animal by-products) are deposited safely and meticulously managed. In Portugal, the depositions are authorised and supervised by the nature (ICNF - Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests) and veterinary (DGAV - Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary) authorities. Currently, around twenty CAAN—both private and community-based—are authorized and operational in Portugal.

In the absence of a CAAN, livestock carcasses or their parts (animal by-products) are collected by SIRCA (System for the Collection of Dead Animal Carcasses on Farm) or, in remote areas where SIRCA is not available, they are buried. In both cases, the animal by-products become unavailable for scavenging birds, require complex procedures for livestock owners (and additional burial costs), and create an environmental impact due to biomass transportation and disposal.

Since 2018, national legislation has provided an alternative use for this material for nature conservation purposes: the establishment of Private Feeding Areas for Necrophagous Birds (APAAN). Informally known as "unfenced areas", APAAN are designated sites within extensive livestock farms that meet specific ecological and sanitary requirements, where eligible extensive livestock carcasses can be made available by farmers to serve as food for scavenger birds. Despite the ecological and economic benefits of this measure, until now, only one APAAN has been operational in the country, managed by Palombar in the Douro International region, as a result of the now-concluded LIFE Rupis project, and another was recently authorized in central Portugal.

Technical meetings between LIFE Aegypius Return partners, authorities and stakeholders. Left: next to the Segura vulture feeding station in Idanha-a-Nova. Right: at Herdade da Contenda. ©VCF

Herdade da Contenda receives the first "unfenced feeding areas" in southern Portugal

Following several technical meetings and having completed all the legal procedures in a process also led by the LPN, the Herdade da Contenda company submitted the licencing process for two APAAN in the estate, which were approved. A protocol was signed between the various entities – Herdade da Contenda (authorized livestock producer), LPN (managing entity of the feeding project), ICNF, and DGAV – defining the operational terms of the two APAAN.

Herdade da Contenda, owned by the Municipality of Moura, is part of the Moura-Mourão-Barrancos SPA and is a historically significant site for the conservation of the Cinereous Vulture. It currently hosts the second-largest colony in the country, with 20 breeding pairs.

The approval of these APAAN represents a major milestone not only for the LIFE Aegypius Return project, but also for nature conservation in Portugal, by unblocking a major constraint to the sustainability of scavenger bird populations.

The strategy defined by the project to increase the availability of food for the Cinereous Vulture foresees the establishment of a total of 66 APAAN along the border region: 56 in Portugal and 10 in Spain. All project partners are working closely with authorities and livestock owners near Cinereous Vulture breeding colonies to implement this conservation measure over the coming months. Tangible benefits for the species' conservation are expected in the medium and long term.

The LIFE Aegypius Return partners would like to thank all the people and organisations who have contributed to the discussion on ways to operationalize supplementary feeding for necrophagous birds.