Movement ecology of pre-adult Cinereous Vultures Aegypius monachus: Insights from a reintroduced population (Tobajas et al., 2024)

Understanding the movement ecology of threatened species is essential for improving conservation efforts, especially during their pre-adult stage and in reintroduction projects. The Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus), an endangered species reintroduced in the Iberian Peninsula over the last two decades, serves as an example. This study explores spatial ecology differences in pre-adult reintroduced vultures, considering age, sex, and season. Using GPS-tag data from 51 pre-adult vultures reintroduced in Catalonia (northeastern Spain), we examined their space use (home range size, core area, minimum convex polygon) and movement patterns (cumulative distance, maximum displacement, daily and annual dispersal). Our results showed significant variation in space use and movement patterns based on age, sex, and season. Age was the most influential factor, with older birds occupying larger home ranges and core areas. Subadult vultures had larger ranges than first-year juveniles and immature birds, although juveniles had larger MCPs. Juveniles made longer movements compared to immatures and subadults, while first-year birds exhibited shorter movements. Males explored smaller areas and made shorter movements than females. Season also affected movement, with longer daily and dispersal movements during the breeding period (February–August). These findings fill a knowledge gap about the dispersal behavior of Cinereous Vultures, providing valuable information to improve management and conservation strategies.

· Enlace https://doi.org/10.1017/S0959270924000108

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Una iniciativa de

Ayuda PTR2022-001249 financiada por:

UNION EUROPEA - FONDO EUROPEO DE DESARROLLO REGIONAL

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Movement ecology of pre-adult Cinereous Vultures Aegypius monachus: Insights from a reintroduced population (Tobajas et al., 2024)