Catastrophic Decline in the Population of Griffon Vultures in the Karatau Mountains, Kazakhstan — A New Research Paper

The "Raptors Conservation" Journal has recently published a new research paper addressing the status of the Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) in Kazakhstan. The paper was co-authored by a group of researchers from the Biodiversity Research and Conservation Center (BRCC) based in Astana (Kazakhstan): Alyona Kaptyonkina, Genriyetta Pulikova, Nurlan Ongarbayev, and Igor Karyakin.

This article is featured in the latest edition of Raptors Conservation, specifically in issue #46. Before its official release, we provided an adapted preview of this research paper. The full article, titled "Catastrophic Decline in the Population of Griffon Vultures in the Karatau Mountains, Kazakhstan," is available for reading through this link.

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The research explores various aspects, including:

• The current status of the Griffon Vulture population in Kazakhstan.
• Identification of the largest Griffon Vulture colonies within the country.
• Examination of population changes over the past 13 years.
• Evaluation of threats endangering the peaceful coexistence of Griffon Vultures in Kazakhstan. 
• Investigation into the correlation between veterinary drugs used in livestock farming and the condition of raptors.
• Recommendations for essential measures aimed at preserving raptors in Kazakhstan.

Белоголовый сип © И. Карякин

Alyona Kaptyonkina and Genriyetta Pulikova presented this research at the European Vulture Conference held in Cáceres, Spain, in November 2023.