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Scavenger turned predator

European vultures' altered behaviour

Nature volume 480, page 457 (2011)Cite this article

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Europe's last remaining populations of griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) in Spain and southern France have taken to killing livestock, according to the many reports received by authorities. This has provoked discontent and incurred vengeance from some farmers. The alarming departure of the vultures from their normal role as carrion scavengers seems to stem from an increased competition for food resources, which may be caused by changes to European sanitary and conservation policies.

There were 1,165 reported cases of griffon vultures killing domestic livestock in 2006–10 in northern Spain alone, with compensation to farmers costing almost €265,000 (US$350,000). Unofficial control by poisoning killed 243 griffon vultures in the same period — an ill-conceived action, given that these and other avian scavengers are already severely threatened in Europe.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Switzerland

    Antoni Margalida

  2. Navarre Environmental Management, Pamplona, Navarra, Spain

    David Campión

  3. CSIC Doñana Biological Station, Seville, Spain

    José A. Donázar

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  1. Antoni Margalida
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  2. David Campión
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  3. José A. Donázar
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Correspondence to Antoni Margalida.

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Margalida, A., Campión, D. & Donázar, J. European vultures' altered behaviour. Nature 480, 457 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/480457b

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