Tragic Vulture Flown 1370 Miles On Plane Found Dead

Story By:  Ana MarjanovicSub-Editor:  Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News 

This tragic Serbian vulture which was flown back home on a Turkish Airlines flight when it was found some 1,370 miles from its nest has now been found dead.

After a two-day search, rangers from the Uvac Nature Reserve found griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) Dobrila (‘The Good One’ in Serbian) dead among the trees in an inaccessible area.

Picture Credit: CEN/Rezervat prirode Uvac

The vulture had previously made international headlines after it was found exhausted and cold near the Turkish-Syrian border in late December, some 2,200 km (1,370 miles) from its nest.

The bird was rescued before being flown back to Serbia on a Turkish Airlines flight in April and being released back into the reserve in May.

The head of the park rangers of the Uvac Nature Reserve Novak Pejovic said: “After finding her satellite transmitter, we went in and started the search. We searched for her on the cliffs of Orlovica near the nest where she hatched last year and from where she flew. We then found her stuck between trees. We didn’t believe what we were seeing.”

PictureCredit: CEN

Dobrila was reportedly a very calm vulture and was extremely tame when in contact with people.

Pejovic added: “She spent a few months in the aviaries and was in the process of going wild. After letting her go, we were all terrified thinking if she would fit into her natural habitat again because she was extremely tame, spoiled, and accustomed to humans. However, she successfully did it and cruised through the canyon, but still, in the end, it seems that she has not been able to cope with these hills.”

Local media report Dobrila is thought to have died after hitting a tree whilst flying and then becoming stuck between a series of trees.

PictureCredit: CEN

The female griffon vulture was part of a protected colony of around 70 pairs in western Serbia’s Uvac Gorge.

Local media reports that in the last two days rescue operations were in place for two griffon vultures.

In addition to Dobrila, the rangers were reportedly searching for a three-year-old griffon vulture named Igor.

Luckily Igor is alive and well as the rangers tracked his movements using a satellite transmitter.

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