Fojiška, the griffon vulture from Cres, is the second poached vulture in Montenegro, after Perun, who perished at the Ulcinj salt pan, the Center for the Protection and Study of Birds (CZIP) announced today.
The statement added that both birds were equipped with a satellite transmitter, in order to monitor the success of the migration.
"Namely, last month the vulture Fojiška, also equipped with a satellite transmitter, headed south from Kvarner, following the autumn migration route of vultures towards Greece, Turkey, the Middle East and Africa, and Montenegro is a frequent and almost unavoidable point on this route. The vulture stopped and stayed for some time in the area of Piva, where it is suspected that he was hit, after which CZIP ornithologists visited the locality where he was. However, we were unable to find the vulture because the bird had moved on in the meantime. During those days, we received a video of a griffon vulture, on roadside bank in the night, only to find later by looking at the data that it was the same bird. The next time, the bird was spotted at Lake Skadar, where it stopped again for a short time. As the data from the transmitter showed that the bird was not moving, again we went out to the field and unfortunately found Fojiška with a necrotic wound and an open fracture of the wing! The bird was taken to the veterinarian, and the X-ray showed a ball in the wing, which also led to the fracture. Due to the condition in which the bird was found, and with the consent of Beli Visitor Center from Cres, which followed Fojiška, this individual unfortunately had to be euthanized," the CZIP press release points out.
From that non-governmental organization (NGO) they also said that the griffon vulture Perun, also from Cres, was shot in 2018 at the Ulcinj Salt Lake, which was confirmed by a video of the found part of the wing that contained a large amount of shot, and the transmitter, according to their claims, was never found. .
"The data that as many as two vultures have died on our territory warns us about the poaching problem faced by these endangered and strictly protected birds by law. The question remains what is the real number of deaths and to what degree is Montenegro a deadly trap for vulture migration," concludes in the announcement of CZIP.
Bonus video:
