A LIFE Aegypius Return spin-off project has been approved to link scientific research with community impact in Southern Portugal   What if studying what lives inside a vulture's oral-faecal route could help protect both wildlife and people? The new project, "NECROBIOME – Microbiome of the Cinereous Vulture to Support Integrated Ecosystem Management in Baixo Alentejo," connects cutting-edge scientific research with tangible benefits for local communities and landscapes. Gro

The LIFE Aegypius Return project is pushing ahead with its ambitious goal: Consolidating and expanding the Cinereous Vulture population in Portugal and Western Spain. After the surge in activity and expansion seen in 2024, this year brought both exciting progress and some serious challenges. Wildfires, poisoning, illegal shooting and tensions in some areas tested the project's ability to adapt, but the team stayed the course. Despite it all, the efforts of conservation partn

Within the scope of the LIFE Aegypius Return  project, the Portuguese Institute for Nature and Forest Conservation (ICNF) and several environmental associations met in c to coordinate the next steps in protecting the breeding colonies of the Cinereous Vulture ( Aegypius monachus ) in Serra da Malcata and Tejo Internacional.  Group photo ©VCF  Colonies of major importance   The ICNF Regional Directorate in Central Portugal manages two protected areas that are crucial for the