A three-day Vulture Festival marked the beginning of the new LIFE project, ” Restoration of the Cinereous vulture population and trophic chain in the Bulgarian-Greek cross-border region “. In Bulgaria project will be implemented by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) in partnership with Rewilding Rhodopes Foundation. The event, held in Madzharovo, was attended by more than 300 people from across the country, some of whom are now regulars to the festival.
The program had a strong musical kick off with performances by popular Bulgarian bands. “I would like to thank you for choosing to celebrate the International Vulture Awareness Day with us. We hope that this festival will pave the way for a successful and productive LIFE project, commented during the official opening Dr. Dobromir Dobrev, project coordinator from BSPB.
Throughout the weekend, over a hundred children participated in various vulture related games and activities. The young nature enthusiasts actively took part in the game “Eco-Adventurers in Search for Vultures,” where the children were send on a quest to find out interesting facts about the lives of birds throughout the festival space, and the most persistent and curious received special prizes. Visitors also had the opportunity to explore the BSPB’s “Eastern Rhodopes” Conservation Center which hosted the event, and join specially organized birdwatching sessions and guided walks around the center. The theatrical adventure “The Wizard’s Legacy” and the educational activities led by experts from the “Rewilding Rhodopes” Foundation were especially popular with the youngest attendees. A touching highlight was the play created and performed by the children, which introduced an unusual and intriguing friendship between a vulture and a blue whale, captivating the young audience.
A special highlight of the program was the official presentation to the festival’s guests of the new LIFE project “Restoration of the Cinereous vulture population and trophic chain in the Bulgarian-Greek cross-border region”. The project is coordinated by the BSPB in partnership with Rewilding Rhodopes. Over the next five years (2024-2029), the project team will work to establish a new colony of the species in the Bulgarian part of the Rhodopes and to preserve the only existing breeding colony in the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli National Park in Greece. The 
project also aims to reduce the main threats to black vultures in the Rhodopes, including poisoning, poaching, and collisions with energy infrastructure. Additionally, it includes measures to increase the food base for black vultures in the project area and to prevent and mitigate conflicts between humans and wildlife, in which vultures on both sides of the border often become indirect victims. Lastly, special attention will be given to promoting a sustainable economy that benefits local communities and nature.
The festival is part of the “Restoration of the Cinereous vulture population and trophic chain in the Bulgarian-Greek cross-border region” project (project no. 101148254 — LIFE23-NAT-BG-LIFE Rhodope Vulture), co-financed by the EU’s LIFE program and Rewilding Europe. The celebration is also supported by the “Green Belt of Southeastern Bulgaria” project, funded by the Endangered Landscapes Programme (ELSP).