Vultures most frequent victims of poisoning

The poisoning of wildlife in Greece and more widely in the Balkans remains common, with the Ornithological Society saying the vulture population in the region has suffered the largest decline.

More specifically, research has shown that in the last 20 years about 1,000 animals and birds have been killed in this way in the Balkans – more than half in Greece – many of which were endangered species.

“From 2000 to 2020, a total of 465 vultures have died from poisoning in the Balkans, including 47 Egyptian vultures, 17 cinereous vultures and a bearded vulture,” the Ornithological Society said in a statement on Thursday, adding that the vulture population in the Balkans has suffered the largest decline, with 400 dying in 233 isolated cases of poisoning or possible poisoning. 

“All vulture species in the Balkans are threatened with extinction,” it said, noting that after vultures, the most common victims are the hawk and the fox.