Two female Bearded vultures born at Pairi Daiza, are being released in the German Alps and the Grands Causses, in the south of the French 'Massif Central'.
Born at Pairi Daiza on 13 March, Ventus, a three-month-old female Bearded vulture, has just arrived in the Grands Causses, in the south of the French 'Massif Central'. Her transfer is part of the European LIFE Gyp’Act programme, which aims to strengthen bearded vulture populations and reconnect the populations in the Alps and the Pyrenees. On 24 June a second female Bearded vulture born at Pairi Daiza will be released in the German Alps.
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A journey to the Cévennes cliffs
On 9 June, Ventus left Belgium to reach the Cévennes cliffs of Roc Salidou, in the heart of the Grands Causses Regional Nature Park. She undertook this long journey accompanied by Thomas, her care taker at Pairi Daiza, in collaboration with the teams working on site, notably those from the Cévennes National Park.
Upon arrival, Ventus was settled into an open-air foster nest, alongside Ventalon, a young male from Puy du Fou. Together, the two birds will spend around thirty days there. Situated like a panoramic balcony overlooking the Cévennes valleys, this nest will allow them to gradually acclimatise to their new environment, whilst building up their muscle strength before their first flight into the wild. This adaptation phase is crucial. Ventus and Ventalon are monitored throughout the day by the teams on site, who take turns to ensure their well-being and progress.
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Before their release, the two young bearded vultures were prepared with the utmost care. Some of their feathers were bleached in a specific pattern, similar to a ‘barcode’, to enable their visual identification from a distance. Ventus was also ringed, fitted with a GPS tracker to monitor her movements, and then weighed. She weighed approximately 5.7 kg at the time.
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A second adventure starts in Germany: Berchtesgaden National Park
Another young female bearded vulture, born at Pairi Daiza on March 20, was transferred to Beauval Zoo in France in April, where she was adopted by an other bird. Together, the two birds will now travel to Germany to take part in the bearded vulture reintroduction programme led by the Bavarian nature conservation association LBV — Landesbund für Vogel- und Naturschutz — and Berchtesgaden National Park.
For the sixth consecutive year, LBV and Berchtesgaden National Park are continuing this important conservation project. During a non-public event at the Klausbachhaus, the two young vultures will receive their names before being taken by the bearded vulture team to the release site in the Halsgrube. There, the birds, which are not yet able to fly, will be placed in a protected, fenced niche in a rock face.
From this secure mountain site, the young bearded vultures will continue to grow and strengthen their wings before taking their first flights in three to four weeks.
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Press invitation in German for 24.06.2026 Bearded vulture reintroduction 2026: LBV and Berchtesgaden National Park continue a well-known conservation project
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The vital role of different partners in conservation
This European programme fully illustrates the vital role of zoological institutions and wildlife parks committed to the conservation of endangered species. Beyond the emotion stirred by these journeys, these reintroductions represents a concrete contribution to the protection of the bearded vulture, one of Europe’s most iconic birds of prey. In a few weeks’ time, when his wings are strong enough, these young birds will take her first flight in the wild. A flight that brings hope for their entire species.
Johan Vreys