Griffon Vultures Return to Romania After More Than 70 Years as Long-Term Reintroduction Begins in the Făgăraș Mountains

A first group of 25 griffon vultures has arrived in Romania and has been placed in an acclimatization aviary near the commune of Rucăr, Argeș County. This marks the first phase of a long-term reintroduction programme in the Făgăraș Mountains and the first attempt to restore the species to Romania after more than 70 years of absence. The initiative is led by Foundation Conservation Carpathia in partnership with the Milvus Group, a local consortium involving the communes of Lerești, Rucăr and Valea Mare Pravăț, and the Argeș Veterinary and Food Safety Directorate.

The birds were brought from Spain in cooperation with the Vulture Conservation Foundation, one of Europe’s most experienced organisations in vulture conservation and reintroduction. According to the project partners, these young birds are expected to form the basis of a future stable population in the Făgăraș massif. After arrival in Romania, all individuals were examined by specialist veterinarians, fitted with identification rings, and transferred to the aviary for adaptation to the new environment.

The acclimatization period is expected to last around six months. During this phase, the project team will monitor the birds’ behaviour, feeding patterns, and adaptation to local habitat conditions. After release, the vultures will be tracked with transmitters in order to monitor their movements and integration into the wild. The release is being carried out under a soft-release model, allowing the birds to leave the aviary gradually while retaining the option to return during the initial stage.

According to Conservation Carpathia, the species disappeared from Romania in the mid-20th century due to direct persecution, shooting, poisoning, and egg collection. Conservationists emphasize that the return of the griffon vulture is important not only as a symbolic restoration of biodiversity, but also as the re-establishment of a key ecological function, since these birds are obligate scavengers that remove carcasses and help reduce environmental health risks.

The project also includes a local development component. In Valea Mare Pravăț, Conservation Carpathia plans to open a visitor and education centre called Casa Vulturului, dedicated to vulture species. The centre is expected to strengthen nature-based tourism, environmental education, and local engagement in sustainable development initiatives.

The griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) is one of Europe’s largest scavenging birds, with a wingspan of up to 2.8 metres. Its presence is generally regarded as an indicator of large, functional ecosystems with extensive open landscapes and sufficient ecological support systems. Foundation Conservation Carpathia describes itself as one of Europe’s largest private conservation initiatives focused on ecosystem restoration in the Southern Carpathians.

IDR Comment.
The return of the griffon vulture to Romania has significance that extends well beyond the recovery of a single species. It reflects a more mature conservation model in which biodiversity restoration is linked with spatial planning, local development, nature education, and long-term landscape governance. In this sense, the Romanian case aligns with broader European trends in ecological restoration, where species reintroduction is increasingly treated as both an environmental and institutional instrument. This is an inference based on the project’s documented combination of wildlife recovery, local partnerships, tourism planning, and community engagement.

For the wider Lower Danube and Black Sea region, this case is especially relevant because it demonstrates how the restoration of functional ecosystems can generate environmental, social, and developmental co-benefits at the same time. It also shows that long-term biodiversity projects can strengthen local resilience by creating new links between conservation organisations, municipalities, veterinary institutions, and international partners. This conclusion is based on the project structure and publicly described implementation model.