Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

For much of the 20th century, the skies above the Alps were missing one of their most iconic birds: the bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), also known as the lammergeier. Once widespread across the mountain range, the species was driven to extinction in the region through hunting, poisoning and widespread fear based on myths about the bird’s behaviour.

Today, however, the bearded vulture has made an extraordinary comeback. Through decades of conservation work, captive breeding, and international cooperation, these huge scavengers have once again begun soaring over Alpine peaks — one of Europe’s most remarkable wildlife recovery stories.

The Rise and Fall of the Alpine Vulture

The bearded vulture is a distinctive bird of prey with a wingspan approaching three metres. Unlike most raptors, it feeds primarily on bones, dropping them from great heights onto rocks to break them open and access the marrow inside. This unusual diet makes the species an essential clean-up specialist in mountain ecosystems.

Yet despite its ecological importance, the bird developed a terrible reputation in Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries. Stories circulated that it carried off livestock — and even children. These myths led to widespread persecution.

By the early 20th century, relentless hunting and poisoning had wiped the species from the Alps. The last confirmed bearded vulture in the region was shot in Italy’s Aosta Valley in 1913, marking the end of the bird’s centuries-long presence in the mountain chain. (Vulture Conservation Foundation – https://4vultures.org/our-work/reintroduction-and-restocking/bearded-vulture-to-the-alps/)

Human actions were the primary cause of this disappearance. In addition to direct killing, poisoning campaigns targeting wolves and other predators often unintentionally killed scavenging vultures. (University of Bern – https://www.cb.iee.unibe.ch/research/bearded_vulture/index_eng.html)

A Radical Plan to Bring Vultures Back

By the 1970s, conservationists across Europe began discussing whether it might be possible to restore the bearded vulture to its former Alpine habitat.

The result was one of the most ambitious wildlife reintroduction programmes ever attempted in Europe. Scientists, conservation groups, and national parks across Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland formed a cross-border partnership dedicated to bringing the species back. (Foundation for the Bearded Vulture – https://beardedvulture.ch/project/reintroduction)

The first birds were released in 1986 in Austria’s Hohe Tauern National Park, marking the beginning of a long-term recovery effort. Young vultures raised in captivity were placed on mountain cliffs using a technique called “hacking”, where chicks are raised in artificial nests until they can fly independently. (Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bearded_vulture)

The programme involved:

A European captive breeding network involving zoos and conservation centres
Careful monitoring of released birds using tags and GPS tracking
Protection of nesting sites in remote mountain areas
Public education campaigns to change perceptions of vultures

This collaborative effort was essential because the Alps span multiple countries and ecosystems.

A Remarkable Recovery

Over nearly four decades, conservationists have released hundreds of young vultures into the wild.

Between 1986 and 2025, more than 260 juvenile bearded vultures were released into the Alps, helping to rebuild a wild population. (Vulture Conservation Foundation – https://4vultures.org/our-work/reintroduction-and-restocking/bearded-vulture-to-the-alps/)

The results have been striking:

Around 450 bearded vultures now inhabit the Alpine region
More than 100 breeding pairs have established territories
Hundreds of chicks have been successfully raised in the wild since the first breeding success in 1997 (Vulture Conservation Foundation – https://4vultures.org/our-work/reintroduction-and-restocking/bearded-vulture-to-the-alps/)

In some areas, vultures have begun expanding naturally into new mountain ranges. Releases in the Bavarian Alps and other locations aim to strengthen connections between populations and increase genetic diversity. (BirdGuides – https://www.birdguides.com/news/bearded-vulture-reintroduced-to-germany/)

Today, sightings of these giant birds gliding above Alpine valleys are becoming increasingly common.

Why Vultures Matter to Ecosystems

Although vultures often suffer from negative public perceptions, they play a critical role in nature.

As scavengers, they quickly remove animal carcasses from landscapes. This natural waste-disposal system helps prevent the spread of disease and reduces the build-up of bacteria that could harm wildlife and livestock. (The Guardian – https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/aug/02/bearded-vultures-soar-again-in-alps-after-breeding-scheme)

In mountainous ecosystems such as the Alps, this role is particularly important because carcasses from wild ungulates — like ibex or deer — can otherwise remain in remote locations for long periods.

Bearded vultures are also unique among birds of prey because bone marrow makes up most of their diet, making them specialists within the scavenger community. Their presence therefore helps complete the ecological cycle of decomposition.

Challenges That Still Remain

Despite their comeback, the future of Alpine vultures is not entirely secure.

Several threats remain:

Poisoned carcasses intended for predators
Lead contamination from ammunition in animal remains
Collisions with power lines or wind turbines
Habitat disturbance near nesting sites

Because the population is still relatively small, conservationists continue monitoring birds carefully and supporting breeding efforts.

Maintaining genetic diversity and ensuring safe migration routes between mountain regions are also important priorities for long-term survival.

A Symbol of Hope for Wildlife Recovery

The return of the bearded vulture to the Alps demonstrates that extinction does not always have to be permanent. With enough cooperation, scientific expertise and patience, species once lost from entire landscapes can sometimes be restored.

For conservationists, the bird has become a powerful symbol: proof that international collaboration can reverse some of the damage caused by centuries of human persecution.

Today, when hikers or climbers look up from Alpine valleys and see the massive silhouette of a lammergeier drifting along the cliffs, they are witnessing one of Europe’s most inspiring conservation successes — a species that humans once destroyed, but ultimately helped bring back.