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Griffon vultures head for Holland

Monday 18 June 2007

Dozens of griffon vultures with wingspans of up to 2.80 metres were spotted in the south of the Netherlands on Monday. The first sightings were made around lunchtime in Tilburg, IJsendijk and Terneuzen.

A larger group is expected to cross into Zeeland later today. In total, over 100 vultures have been moving north from the Spanish Pyrenees is search of food.

Over 100 were spotted in Belgium this weekend. ‘It is such a kick to see them fly over your head,’ one enthusiastic bird watcher said.

The vultures, which weigh over 7kg, originate in the Spanish Pyrenees and have been driven out by the threat of starvation.

New EU rules have banned farmers from leaving dead sheep out for the birds, forcing them further north in search of food. The Spanish authorities are reportedly putting pressure on the EU to change the rules.

Single or small groups of vultures have been spotted in the Netherlands on occasion, but never such a large group.

Dutchbirding website (photos)

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Readers' comments

The EU must act immediately to reverse this tragic law - they obviously did not conduct a proper risk analysis.

By Paul Riordan | June 21, 2007 10:07 AM

Please help us to change this difficult situation for vultures in Spain.

The Brussels ( we mean European ) point of view must consider the huge number of these birds in Spain which lack food thanks to the ridiculous laws forbidding shepherds from leaving dead sheeps or cows in nature (luckily, in Spain, we still have nature).

By juan garcia vicente | June 24, 2007 1:05 PM

I do not understand the logic of forcing these birds farther north. This displaces them even more, and forces them into an even more unfamiliar territory.

By Andrea Stepney | September 9, 2008 7:56 PM

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