Unique Griffon Vulture Colony Thrives on Croatian Island Cliffs

In the remote village of Beli, perched on a cliffside on Croatia's Cres Island, a unique natural spectacle unfolds: griffon vultures nesting on sea-facing cliffs. This is the only known place in the world where these majestic birds, with wingspans nearing three meters, make their homes so close to the ocean.

Daria Martinčić, who works at the Beli Visitor Center and Rehabilitation Facility for Griffon Vultures, explains the precarious beginnings for these birds. Young vultures learning to fly from nests situated above the sea face a high mortality rate. If they fall into the water and are not rescued within half an hour, their chances of survival are slim. Martinčić notes that up to 90% of young vultures do not survive their first five years, a critical period after which they have a good chance of living a long life.

After a 'youthful migration' that can last several years, sexually mature vultures often return to their hatching grounds. There, they find a mate, to whom they remain faithful for life, and build a nest. Their diet consists of carcasses, a practice mirrored in the rehabilitation center where a rescued vulture can be observed by visitors, provided they maintain quiet.

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The mortality rate of young birds is very high, with up to 80 to 90 percent of individuals not reaching five years of age. Once they pass that critical period, they have great chances for a long life.

The center also houses an ethnographic collection, offering a glimpse into the island's past. Exhibits showcase the traditional livelihoods of the people of Tramuntana, the northern part of Cres, including farming, resource utilization, and animal husbandry. Visitors can see ear markings used historically to identify sheep, a practice still relevant today.

Entrance fees to the center, seven euros for adults and four for children, contribute to the conservation of Croatia's last griffon vulture population in the Kvarner region. The village of Beli itself, built on the site of a Roman settlement, retains its historic stone houses and unique features like Australian grates to keep goats out and a drainage well to manage water flow on the steep terrain.

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We have chamois, not sheep. They jump like crazy, they throw themselves from three meters high.