Santander, Jan 20 (EFE).- The bearded vulture Aquilón, a specimen without a leg that was released in the Picos de Europa almost two years ago after passing through a recovery center, continues to fly over the entire Cantabrian mountain range without its “limitation”. affect their development.
As reported this Friday by the Foundation for the Conservation of the Bearded Vulture, the only way to control Aquilón has been, in these almost two years, to spot him, since he lost the GPS that was placed on his only leg.
Aquilón is a five-year-old specimen, which was born in the Pyrenees, but was released in June 2018 in the Picos de Europa, as part of the recovery plan for this species carried out by the foundation.
In 2021, the animal was located near the Cantabrian town of Turieno with a serious injury to one leg, after it had collided with a power line.
After a first intervention at the Cantabria Wildlife Recovery Center, where a complete veterinary examination was carried out, the specimen was transferred to the facilities of the Áquila Foundation in Toledo, an expert in bearded vulture clinics.
Once the lesions were examined, it was decided to amputate Aquilon’s leg, and a tail graft was performed.
The specimen began a long rehabilitation of four months, and once recovered, it returned to the environment of the Cantabrian mountain range, and was released on March 1, 2021 in Liébana.
The last time Aquilón was notified was in the surroundings of the Montaña Palentina Natural Park, the usual foraging area for this species.
On January 11, it was sighted by technicians from the Foundation for the Conservation of the Bearded Vulture during a field trip, and “its recovery and its successful adaptation to the environment” were confirmed.
This entity explains that the life of this bird is “full” and it has currently entered the subadult phase in an optimal state.
The bearded vulture is an endangered species in the European Union, disappearing from some regions where it was common before. In Spain it is included in the Spanish Catalog of Threatened Species.
The species takes an average of seven years to reproduce and its annual laying is only one or two eggs, which is why the survival of each specimen is so important.
Currently, Aquilón is entering sexual maturity, so it is expected that in the coming years it will find a partner and establish a breeding territory.