e-obs Stories & Publications

@article{bravo-chaparro_gps-tracked_2026,

title = {GPS-tracked vultures indicate a relaxation of conservation commitments in renewable energy development},

author = {Elena Bravo-Chaparro and Jorge Rodr\'{i}guez-P\'{e}rez and Mar\'{i}a Fern\'{a}ndez-Garc\'{i}a and Jos\'{e} Carlos Gonz\'{a}lez and Gerardo B\'{a}guena and Jo\~{a}o Pedro Valente e Santos and Iv\'{a}n Guti\'{e}rrez and Jos\'{e} Vicente L\'{o}pez-Bao and Patricia Mateo-Tom\'{a}s},

url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1365-2664.70225},

doi = {10.1111/1365-2664.70225},

issn = {1365-2664},

year  = {2026},

date = {2026-01-01},

urldate = {2026-02-17},

journal = {Journal of Applied Ecology},

volume = {63},

number = {1},

pages = {e70225},

abstract = {Strategic and well-informed environmental planning tools are instrumental to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Given the boost in renewable energy facilities, different planning tools are being proposed to identify low-sensitive areas for the installation of these infrastructures, where environmental impact assessment procedures are simplified. However, the effectiveness of these tools is rarely scrutinized and, therefore, if they are fit for purpose remains unsolved. We used data from 90 GPS-tracked griffon and bearded vultures to assess the level of spatial agreement between vultures' space use at heights with a risk of collision with wind turbines and the environmental sensitivity to wind energy identified by official planning tools. Despite relatively high agreements (\>0.6 out of 1), these tools still misclassified up to 88% of vultures' home ranges, with strong disagreements observed in foraging grounds, movement corridors and near breeding colonies. Furthermore, the spatial agreement decreased when considering the legally binding categories (\>0.6 out of 1) in contrast with the non-statutory categories (\>0.9 out of 1). Synthesis and applications. Our results highlight the need to evaluate and improve official spatial planning tools developed to minimize environmental impacts such as those of renewable energies. GPS-tracking data from vulnerable species help in identifying risk areas misclassified by the planning tools, which should also be founded in a proper legal background (e.g., constraining development in the most sensitive areas) to avoid limiting their effectiveness in practice.},

note = {_eprint: https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/1365-2664.70225},

keywords = {accelerometer, biologging, Bird Solar Cellular, conflict, environmental impact assessment, environmental policy, Flying, human, legal downgrading, Lifetime, movement ecology, renewable energy, scavenger, scavengers, Soaring, Spatial planning, Vulture, Wind energy},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{sidiropoulos_poisoned_2025,

title = {Poisoned baits drive record golden eagle mortality in northern Greece: A call for urgent conservation actions},

author = {Lavrentis Sidiropoulos and D. Philip Whitfield and Anastasios Bounas and Elzbieta Kret and Elisabeth Navarrete and Panagiotis Vafeidis and Dimitrios Doukas and Panagiota Michalopoulou and Sylvia Zakkak and Vassiliki Kati},

url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0006320725002605},

doi = {10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111223},

issn = {00063207},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-08-01},

urldate = {2025-09-16},

journal = {Biological Conservation},

volume = {308},

pages = {111223},

abstract = {Despite an overall recovery of European large raptor populations, the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) population in Greece is Endangered. Poisoning from baits set illegally for carnivore control is known as an important mortality factor, impacting a wider avian scavenger assemblage in our study area. We analysed golden eagle mortality data from northern Greece for the last 35 years, including the fates of 29 satellite-tagged individuals from the last decade. Poisoning accounted for 65 % of the overall mortality, the highest percentage recorded globally for any eagle population. Known fate survival models from telemetry data revealed 0.78 and 0.85 annual survival rates for immature and adults, respectively (the lowest reported in telemetry studies), improving markedly when censored for poisoning mortality. Poisoning occurred disproportionally close to protected areas, more often in areas with high carnivore livestock depredation and almost exclusively in winter when eagles were more likely to scavenge. Golden eagles were usually poisoned by directly feeding on carcasses and offal baits laced predominantly with illegal toxic substances (e.g. carbofuran and methomyl). Electrocution was the second cause of mortality, and collision with turbines was also recorded. The main conservation implication of our findings is that urgent policy changes are required to reverse the population's decline, mainly against the illegal use of poisoned baits and across prevention, legislative and enforcement levels. We propose specific measures towards this direction, such as improving livestock husbandry, further capacity building for wildlife crime investigation and reforms in relevant legislation.},

keywords = {Aquila chrysaetos, Bird Solar, Bird Solar Cellular, Golden Eagle},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}