Bartgeier Vinzenz returns triumphantly to the Alps!

Bartgeier Vinzenz returns triumphantly to the Alps!

Oldenburg, Deutschland - we look forward to the return of beard vulture "Vinzenz", which was released into freedom after an adventurous trip to Bavaria. At the end of June 2025, the impressive bird, which was captured near Oldenburg in mid -June, was released in the Hagen Mountains. The Landesbund für Vogelschutz (LBV) has published the gratifying news that “Vinzenz” can now explore its alpine home again after its return from the wildlife sanctuary in Rastede.

The return and release of "Vinzenz" is part of a resettlement project that has been carried out in the Berchtesgaden National Park since 2021. So far, ten beard vultures from European breeding stations have been released here. The first exemption of beards, which were greatly decimated in the 19th century, brought a breath of fresh air to the hope of a more stable population in the Alps.

adventurous return trip

Did you know that "Vinzenz" even lost ten percent of his body weight on a flight of around 1,600 kilometers? But don't worry, the beard vulture remained intact. Toni Wegscheider, the project manager of the LBV, explained that all medical checks failed positively before he was released. The exact monitoring of its movements is made possible by a GPS transmitter. Incidentally, nature lovers can follow the flight routes of the bearded vultures-including "Vinzenz" and his peers such as "Sisi" and "nepomuk"-live lbv.de.

The monitoring of the beard vulture is not only an exciting project, but also of great importance for their maintenance. The GPS data are published with a delay of three days to protect the birds from potential dangers.

The history of the beardedgeier

A look back at the history of the bearded in the beard shows how important this resettlement project is. In the 19th century, the persecution of firearms and launch premiums led to a dramatic decline in stocks. Poisoned baits that were laid out against other animals also contributed to the fact that the beard vulture almost disappeared. Ultimately, the last documented shooting of a beard in the Alpine region in 1913 was to be complained about Bartgeier.ch.

The first resettlement took place in the French Alps in the 1970s, but the project failed due to high losses. A lot has happened since then. From 1978 a new, promising project was tackled that will use young bearded vultures from breeding programs. This is intended to prevent existing game populations from being endangered.

The return of "Vinzenz" shows that the courage and dedication of the conservationists bear fruit. The hope that he will mainly be traveling in alpine regions is great. Because the risks in the lowlands are known to be too high for these majestic birds.

If that's no reason to be happy! The beard vulture "Vinzenz" has opened a new chapter in his life and we can be excited to see where his wings will wear next.