Vulture species worldwide play a key role in ecosystems as obligate scavengers. Although the ecological roles of vultures have become increasingly appreciated, threats to their survival have increased significantly in recent decades, notably for pesticide poisoning in sub-Saharan Africa, diclofenac use in domestic livestock in South Asia, lead poisoning in the western USA and collision with power lines and, increasingly, with wind farms in many locations (1). As a result, 9 of the 23 vulture species in the world are critically endangered (2). Five species of vulture currently live in Europe and among these the Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) is the most populous (3). In Italy, all Griffon Vulture populations became extinct between the nineteenth and twentieth century, with the exception of the Sardinian one. Thanks mainly to reintroduction projects, many populations of Griffon Vulture are currently present in the regions of Sardinia, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria and Sicily (4). This species is actually considered “Near Threatened” in the Italian IUCN Red List (5). We reported the results of post-mortem examinations of Griffon Vulture carcasses collected mainly in the Abruzzo region and sent to the IstitutoZooprofilatticoSperimentaledell’Abruzzoe del Molise (IZSAM) during the period 2003-2023. The current population originates from 93 Spanish individuals, released between 1994 and 2002, mainly in the Monte VelinoReserve, located in the province of L’Aquila (6). Understanding the clinical disorders and causes of mortality in Gyps fulvusis crucial for monitoring its Apennine population and for planning and implementing appropriate conservation measures.
Reported mortality and prevalence of infectious diseases of free living Griffon Vulture ( Gyps fulvus ) over the twenty year period 2003 2023 in Central Italy
Di Teodoro G.;Cantelmi M. C.;Di Francesco G;
2024-01-01
Abstract
Vulture species worldwide play a key role in ecosystems as obligate scavengers. Although the ecological roles of vultures have become increasingly appreciated, threats to their survival have increased significantly in recent decades, notably for pesticide poisoning in sub-Saharan Africa, diclofenac use in domestic livestock in South Asia, lead poisoning in the western USA and collision with power lines and, increasingly, with wind farms in many locations (1). As a result, 9 of the 23 vulture species in the world are critically endangered (2). Five species of vulture currently live in Europe and among these the Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) is the most populous (3). In Italy, all Griffon Vulture populations became extinct between the nineteenth and twentieth century, with the exception of the Sardinian one. Thanks mainly to reintroduction projects, many populations of Griffon Vulture are currently present in the regions of Sardinia, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria and Sicily (4). This species is actually considered “Near Threatened” in the Italian IUCN Red List (5). We reported the results of post-mortem examinations of Griffon Vulture carcasses collected mainly in the Abruzzo region and sent to the IstitutoZooprofilatticoSperimentaledell’Abruzzoe del Molise (IZSAM) during the period 2003-2023. The current population originates from 93 Spanish individuals, released between 1994 and 2002, mainly in the Monte VelinoReserve, located in the province of L’Aquila (6). Understanding the clinical disorders and causes of mortality in Gyps fulvusis crucial for monitoring its Apennine population and for planning and implementing appropriate conservation measures.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
