Loic Joly
Bearded vulture (Samance, France)
A rare (less than 20 couples in the Alps) adult bearded vulture flying over my head during a hike. Elevation around 1600m.
There are 2 couples of bearded vulture nesting in the Bargy Chain, the 20km long mountain chain over Le Grand Bornand.
The first couple is made of Balthazar - the male and Assignat - the female, respectively reintroduced in 1988 and 1989. It was the first couple reintroduced in the French Alps, after bearded vulture has disappeared from this area at the beginning of the XXth century. Since then, Balthazar & Assignat have bred over 15 young chicks that have successfully left the nest and scattered, making this couple the most prolific in the french Alps.
A second couple has settled in the Bargy chain around 2015, breeding their first chick shortly after.
Overall, based on the latest census (2019), the Haute-Savoie Department counts around 5 couples and 20 bearded vulture including youngs. Numbers are on rise, as the high number on ongulates (chamois, deers, ibex) let largely enough cadavers to feast ..
Bearded vulture (Samance, France)
A rare (less than 20 couples in the Alps) adult bearded vulture flying over my head during a hike. Elevation around 1600m.
There are 2 couples of bearded vulture nesting in the Bargy Chain, the 20km long mountain chain over Le Grand Bornand.
The first couple is made of Balthazar - the male and Assignat - the female, respectively reintroduced in 1988 and 1989. It was the first couple reintroduced in the French Alps, after bearded vulture has disappeared from this area at the beginning of the XXth century. Since then, Balthazar & Assignat have bred over 15 young chicks that have successfully left the nest and scattered, making this couple the most prolific in the french Alps.
A second couple has settled in the Bargy chain around 2015, breeding their first chick shortly after.
Overall, based on the latest census (2019), the Haute-Savoie Department counts around 5 couples and 20 bearded vulture including youngs. Numbers are on rise, as the high number on ongulates (chamois, deers, ibex) let largely enough cadavers to feast ..