One day after Sisi’s departure, Nepomuk has already sailed away. This means that the two bearded vultures that were released a month ago in the southern Bavarian Klausbachtal have finally arrived in the wild. This was announced by the Bavarian nature conservation association LBV from Hilpoltstein in Franconia and the Berchtesgaden National Park on Wednesday.
Sisi and Nepomuk were brought into the mountains by the conservationists on May 24th. There, the initially flightless animals were fed, but without contact with humans. So the birds should slowly get used to life in the wild. Nepomuk’s departure came surprisingly early, it was said. On average, young bearded vultures make their first flight around the 120th day of life. But Nepomuk is only 107 days old. Following their instinct, both animals would have performed many practice wing beats before their departure.
It is already the third bearded vulture release in Bavaria. The ten-year project, which started in 2021, aims to strengthen the alpine population of this rare bird species and connect it to the populations in the Balkans and Asia Minor. By 2021, the bearded vulture had been extinct in Germany for around 150 years.
With a wingspan of almost three meters, the animal is one of the largest flying birds in the world. The species has long been persecuted by man because it was notorious as a “devil bird” because it was thought to prey on livestock and even small children. In truth, the vulture eats almost exclusively bones.
Sisi and Nepomuk come from Austrian breeds. The name Nepomuk was found during a media campaign. Sisi chose two generous LBV supporters because the name expresses the connection between Austria and Bavaria well – think of the Bavarian princess who became Empress of Austria.
By the way, vultures also appear in the Bible. According to the scientific Bible encyclopedia WiBiLex, God’s care for his people is compared in the Holy Scriptures “with the protective behavior of the vulture towards its young”. There is also talk of the vulture’s speed and flying skills, and the book of books ascribes great regenerative power to it.