Dresden griffon vultures start a new life in northern Italy

Two griffon vultures from Dresden Zoo are being released into the wild in northern Italy. The two male birds are part of a reintroduction project in the nature reserve at Lago di Cornino near the Italian city of Udine, the zoo announced. According to the zoo, around 80 vultures have been released into the wild there since 1992. Around 200 animals live there in winter and 350 in summer. The project has successfully secured the return of griffon vultures to the Alps.

Not the first vultures from Dresden in Italy

According to the zoo, the two griffon vultures that have now been added from Dresden were born in March 2024 and 2025 and have developed into impressive vultures. They landed well in the nature reserve and are now being prepared for release into the wild.

These are not the first animals from Dresden to be sent to Italy: Two other captive-bred griffon vultures have been living in Sardinia since November 2020 in order to strengthen the population there.

According to the information, the griffon vulture, like many vultures and birds of prey, has experienced a sharp decline in recent decades and has disappeared from some countries. In Italy, the species was common in Sicily, Sardinia and various areas of the Alps and Apennines.