Endesa participates in the conservation study of the black vulture in the Tejo Internacional Natural Park in Portugal as part of its biodiversity conservation plan

• Endesa includes the protection of biodiversity in the development of its business strategy and participates in this study through its Biodiversity Conservation Plan, which during 2020 launched 26 operational actions throughout the Iberian area, covering a large part of the company's business lines.
• This project, which seeks to learn about the migratory movements and threats to this species in Portugal and Spain, has become the largest toxicological detection study of a population of endangered birds of prey in Portugal and, possibly, one of the largest toxicological monitoring studies of black vulture chicks in Europe.
• As for their migratory movements, it has been demonstrated that the black vultures of this colony, located in the border area of the Tagus River, between Portugal and Extremadura, visit large areas of the Iberian Peninsula during the period of juvenile dispersion, reaching areas of southern France, Galicia or Andalusia.
• During the last year, the part of the toxicological study of this species has been reinforced, doubling the number of specimens examined and controlling the detection of up to 16 different toxic substances, including heavy metals and some antibiotics and anti-inflammatories for veterinary use that can have very negative effects on vultures.

Flying from Portugal to the south of France, Galicia or Andalusia as a young bird. This is the route travelled by some specimens of the juvenile population of black vulture (Aegypius monachus) established in the Tagus International Natural Park in Portugal, according to a study in which Endesa has participated for the third consecutive year through its Biodiversity Conservation Plan The juvenile birds that cross the Iberian Peninsula on these flights belong to the largest colony of this species in that country, where the black vulture was considered extinct as a breeding species in 1985 and is currently listed as Critically Endangered.

For more than 20 years Endesa has been committed to caring for biodiversity, minimising the environmental impact of its activity and ensuring the sustainability of the planet. This study is one of the 26 projects in which the company participates within the framework of its Biodiversity Conservation Plan, one of Endesa's great commitments within its  because all the actions included in it are carried out either completely voluntarily, or far beyond the mandatory environmental requirements Biodiversity Policy that must be met in the performance of its activity.

The conservation of the brown bear (Ursus arctos) in the Pyrenees, the recovery of the Mediterranean tortoise (Testudo hermanni) in the region of Les Garrigues (Lleida), or the conservation of threatened chiroptera species in hydroelectric power plants and large infrastructures of Endesa through the Endesabats project are some of these 26 voluntary actions focused on the protection of other threatened species in the peninsula. Up to ten of these projects are focused on the protection of the Iberian avifauna, including, in addition to the black vulture, species such as the red kite (Milvus milvus) in Aragon, the European roller (Coracias garrulus) in the Natural Marshland Parks of Empordá and Montgrí in Girona, the Bonelli's Eagle (Aquila fasciata) in Catalonia, the osprey (Pandion haliaetus) in the province of Cádiz, the lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni) in Aragon and Malaga or the western capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) in the Pyrenees.

Black vulture: the largest toxicological detection study in a population of endangered birds of prey in Portugal

At present, the black vulture in Spain exceeds 2,500 breeding pairs, which correspond to 20% of the world population and 90% of the European population. In Portugal, its population does not exceed 50 pairs throughout the country.

This study, in which Endesa participates and which is expected to continue throughout 2022, aims to increase knowledge of juvenile dispersion movements and the main threats within the Iberian Peninsula to the largest colony of this species in Portugal and has become the largest toxicological detection study in a population of threatened birds of prey in Portugal and, possibly one of the largest toxicological monitoring studies of black vulture chick in Europe.

From Portugal to the south of France, Galicia and Andalusia

To study the migratory behaviour of this species, 15 black vulture chicks from this colony were fitted with GPS devices between 2018 and 2021. In this way it has been possible to verify that they visit large areas of the Iberian Peninsula, reaching places very far from their native colony, such as the south of France, Galicia or Andalusia, during the period of juvenile dispersion (between March and July of their second year of life), although some areas have been identified where there is a high permanence of these individuals.

These animals are frequently located on both sides of the Spanish-Portuguese border in the vicinity of the Tagus River, very frequently in the Tagus International Natural Park, but also in other protected areas such as the Serra de São Mamede Natural Park in Portugal and the SPA of the Sierra de San Pedro in Extremadura, as well as other more remote areas in the Iberian south, mainly Sierra Morena and the border area between the provinces of Seville and Badajoz.

In search of more than 16 toxic substances harmful to the black vulture, such as heavy metals, antibiotics and veterinary anti-inflammatories

Furthermore, since the beginning of this study, a veterinary check-up has been carried out both of all birds equipped with an emitter and of other chicks born in this colony. This control has been reinforced during the last year with the number of specimens examined double that of previous years and with the search and detection of dangerous substances for vultures increasing to a total of 16, including heavy materials, as well as some antibiotics and anti-inflammatories for veterinary use that can have very negative effects on the vultures. These toxicants normally reach vultures through the consumption of carcasses of wild ungulates, from hunting and livestock. In total, between 2018-2021, almost 40 black vulture chicks have been examined, which is approximately 50% of this colony of black vultures.

So far, only lead and cadmium have been detected in some of the black vulture hatchlings in 2018, while no other heavy metals or veterinary products have been detected at significant levels in the vast majority of birds studied. Although this may seem a positive result, the recent appearance of a black vulture killed this year in Aragon by diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory for veterinary use that is lethal tor vulture populations, which caused the death of 90% of the vulture population in Asia affecting several species, reinforces the need for permanent vigilance against the presence of these products in vulture species. This reinforces the need to create and maintain long-term toxicological surveillance programmes, such as this one, which will allow for the rapid detection of any toxicants in threatened bird populations and especially in small ones, such as the black vulture in Portugal.

This project is organised by Hawk Mountain Sanctuary and carried out with the support of Endesa, the Instituto para a Conservação da Natureza e das Florestas (ICNF), the Tagus Internacional Natural Park and the Toxicology Service of the Veterinary University of Murcia, as well as the conservation organisation QUERCUS within the framework of the "Investigação e monitorização de avifauna no PN do Tejo Internacional" project through the Environmental Fund.

About Endesa

Endesa is the largest electricity company in Spain and the second largest in Portugal. The company is also the second largest gas operator in the Spanish market. Endesa operates an end-to-end business from generation to marketing and through Endesa X also offers value-added services aimed at the decarbonisation of energy uses in homes, companies, industries and public administrations. Endesa is firmly committed to the United Nations SDGs and therefore strongly supports the development of renewable energies through Enel Green Power España, the electrification of the economy and Corporate Social Responsibility. The Endesa Foundation is also active in CSR. Our workforce numbers around 9,600 employees. Endesa is a division of Enel, the largest electricity group in Europe.