Filenews 8 June 2021
Helping Vultures recover so that they can do their job as nature cleaners can be good not only for the Vultures themselves, but also in our pocket, according to a new study, to which the BirdLife Cyprus Association refers.
According to a press release, Vultures, as strictly dead animals, consume large quantities of dead animals and are able to provide significant environmental and socio-economic benefits (ecosystem services), such as regulating the onset and spread of diseases, removing infectious agents from soil and water, recycling nutrients and more. As part of the European "Life with Vultures" programme, which aims to save the endangered Vulture in Cyprus, the Vulture Conservation Foundation (VCF) has carried out a study to assess some of the benefits that could result from a sustainable vulture population on the island.
And the money in the pocket and vulture full
With the change of the livestock management system in Cyprus, farmers are now obliged to transfer the dead animals to appropriate processing plants, which means less food available for the Vultures of Cyprus. The study assessed the availability and consumption of dead livestock by vultures and calculated the costs resulting from the conventional solution, i.e. the transport of these animals (both economic and environmental due to greenhouse gas emissions) to specific treatment plants. In Cyprus, it is estimated that around 17,000 dead sheep and goats are collected from vulture feeding areas each year. Of these, around 2,500 are estimated to be able to almost fully meet the annual nutritional needs of up to 200, a figure that also ensures the sustainability of the population in the long term. If these dead fish ended up in the nearest glyph feed, rather than a processing plant, this would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 43-61% and the economic costs resulting from the collection and transport of dead animals to the plants. By promoting the cleaning services provided by vultures, an important ecological function is restored that is for the benefit of vultures, the environment and also of humans.
Sun, Sea and Vultures
As BirdLife reports, vultures also provide recreational services related to ecotourism, particularly when it comes to bird watching and photography. The study estimated the revenue that can be generated from various tourist activities in Cyprus related to Vulture. As tourism in Cyprus generates 2.7 billion euros in 2015, it is not the first time that the European Union has been in a state of dis The projected growth of the vulture population through the "Life with Vultures" programme can give an additional boost to the local economy. The study estimated that there could be revenues of up to €648,818 a year from vulture-related tourism activities (such as monitoring and photographing vultures). The study stresses the need to study in depth the various recreation activities related to Vultures, since they can provide a source of income to local communities while providing an incentive to support efforts to protect the species.
More Vultures, More Benefits
The level of benefit from vultures depends on the size of the population, which confirms the importance of preserving the species. In order for the conclusions of the study to have any impact on reality, as well as the other actions of the programme positive results, it is vital to minimize the occurrences of poisoning, which is the number one threat to Vultures in Cyprus.
The Life with Vultures program aims to prevent the disappearance of the Fire Vulture from the island and to strengthen its population. It is co-financed by the European Union's LIFE financial instrument with a total budget of €1,375,861 and a duration of 4 years (2019 - 2023). The partner bodies are BirdLife Cyprus as head, the Hunting and Fauna Service, the Cyprus Environmental Protection Foundation – Terra Cypria and the Sculpture Conservation Foundation. More on www.lifewithvultures.eu
