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🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia /Environment & Climate

Rehabilitated Saudi vultures settle in Armenia and Iraq after epic regional journey

From Saudi Gazette · () English

Summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Documents & data Outcome reported
  • Two rehabilitated Eurasian Griffon vultures released in northwestern Saudi Arabia have settled in Armenia and Iraq.
  • Tracking data showed the birds spent about 17 months moving across the region after their release in April 2023.
  • One vulture traveled through seven countries, while the other crossed five, before remaining within 100 kilometers of its current home range.

Two Eurasian Griffon vultures rehabilitated in Saudi Arabia have completed an extraordinary regional journey and settled into new territories in Armenia and Iraq.

The birds, identified as Vultures 536 and 535, were released from the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve in northwestern Saudi Arabia in April 2023. They spent around 17 months ranging across the Middle East before establishing home ranges.

Vulture 536 settled in Armenia after traveling through Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Türkiye, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Iran. Vulture 535 made its home in Iraq after crossing Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, Türkiye and Iran.

Tracking data released by the reserve for International Vulture Awareness Day showed that both birds had remained within 100 kilometers of their respective home ranges. Their movements covered eight countries across the region when considered together.

About this summary

Originally published by Saudi Gazette. Summarized and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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