With the official sanction now given by the Picos de Europa National Park, the process is underway for the return of the Lammergeier, Gypaetus barbatus, to the Picos de Europa from the only remaining Spanish colony in the Pyrenees. The Bearded Vulture Foundation, FCQ based in Aragon, have taken two eggs from a nest under observation since 1988 and unsuccessful in those 22 years apart from producing one chick last year, the first Lammergeier to be born in captivity in Spain after the egg had been taken from the failing nest.

Named "Asterix", the young bird is currently flying free around Ordesa National Park in the Pyrenees.

A critical stage of 15 days now has to pass before it will be known whether the two eggs taken are viable or not. Other previously unproductive nests are being searched for any eggs, or just-hatched chicks, to augment the reintroduction programme.

The Foundation is also studying the reasons why certain nests are producing inviable eggs and/or chicks that don't survive and are carrying out supplementary feeding to monitor any effects this may have on the production of chicks.

When chicks hatch they will be fed by human hand camouflaged with puppets resembling adult lammergeiers. Once raised, the young birds will be released in Asturias around the end of June, beginning of July.

The news in Spanish from the Bearded Vulture Foundation here.