We present data from an extensive study of Bearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus breeding biology in the Pyrenees from 1992 to 1999. Average laying date was 6 January (range 11 December to 12 February, n = 69) with no significant differences between years. Eighty per cent of clutches were of two eggs ( n = 20) and average incubation was 54 days (range 52-56, n = 14). Hatching occurred on average between 21 February and 3 March (range 5 February-7 April) and the first and last chicks fledged in 21-27 May and 20 July, respectively. The average chick age at fledging was 123 days (range 103-133, n = 20). Bearded Vulture density increased significantly during the study period. Breeding success and productivity declined apparently as a consequence of the increase in the percentage of breeding failures during incubation and chick rearing, most during the hatching period. The factors that may determine breeding failure and the decline in breeding performance are analysed and management recommendations for more effective conservation measures are discussed.

Non-native species are a major driver of biodiversity loss. Aquaculture activities play a key role in introductions, including the escape of fishes from fish farm facilities. Here, the impact of flooding due to El Niño rains in 2015/2016 in the Lower and Middle Paranapanema River basin, southern Brazil, was investigated by evaluating fish escapes from 12 fish farms. The flooding resulted in the escape of approximately 1.14 million fishes into the river, encompassing 21 species and three hybrids. Non-native species were the most abundant escapees, especially Oreochromisniloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) and Coptodonrendalli (Boulenger, 1897) (96% of all fish). Only seven native fishes were in the escapee fauna, comprising 1% of all fish. Large floods, coupled with inadequate biosecurity, thus resulted in considerable inputs of non-native fish into this already invaded system.

: We compared methods of assessing the diet of the bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) during the nestling period in the Pyrenees, northeast Spain. We determined diet from direct observations of food items delivered to the nest, recent prey remains present in the nest, remains collected in the nests after fledging, and remains collected in the ossuaries (bone‐breaking sites). Data suggest that direct observation (food items delivered and recent prey remains present in the nest) is the only valid method of assessing the bearded vulture's diet accurately. Remains overestimated the presence of large mammals, such as cows (Bos taurus) and horses (Equus caballus), Suidae, and birds; delivered samples contained a higher proportion of small mammals, medium‐sized mammals, micromammals, and reptiles. Ossuaries also differed from delivered samples because remains collected there overestimated large and medium‐sized mammals. Concerning the skeletal parts, ossuaries, compared to all other methods, underestimated extremities and overestimated long bones, such as femur, humeri and tibiae, scapulae, vertebrae, and skulls. Remains samples, which overestimated scapulae, also differed from delivered and present samples. Our results suggest that bearded vultures favor extremities of prey (78% of the mammal remains, which make up 95% of the diet). The prevalence of small carcasses (almost 17%) suggests that vultures select small animals for food for the young. Because food quality may influence breeding success, future conservation projects based on the selective provision of food to breeding pairs should add to food stations meat remains and small carcasses consistent with our assessment of the birds’ dietary needs.

Brazil is a megadiverse country and is participant of fundamental environmental agreements for biodiversity conservation. However, the internal politics and the cultures that affect negatively the ecological integrity in Brazilian freshwater need to be improved on the condition of sustainable management. Scientific community, the government and stakeholders are in constant conflicts of goals. Meanwhile, the current model for Brazilian aquaculture shows problems of ecological impact due to the lack of appropriated planning and legislation to the aquatic biota. The non‐recognition of sustainable census incorporated in its environmental politics reflects in an archaic and unsustainable management, with the following characters: a non‐specific approach for technical management, the indiscriminate use of interspecific hybrids and non‐native species and the lack of skilled labour. The potential impact on native species and the introduction of pathogens are the main negative effects on aquatic biota. This way, the aim of this article is to elucidate the conflicts of interests and ecological effects of fish aquaculture in Brazil, besides providing good practices and sustainable alternatives for management.

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