Apex scavengers from different European populations converge at threatened savannah landscapes

Abstract

Over millennia, human intervention has transformed European habitats mainly through extensive livestock grazing. “Dehesas/Montados” are an Iberian savannah-like ecosystem dominated by oak-trees, bushes and grass species that are subject to agricultural and extensive livestock uses. They are a good example of how large-scale, low intensive transformations can maintain high biodiversity levels as well as socio-economic and cultural values. However, the role that these human-modified habitats can play for individuals or species living beyond their borders is unknown. Here, using a dataset of 106 adult GPS-tagged Eurasian griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) monitored over seven years, we show how individuals breeding in western European populations from Northern, Central, and Southern Spain, and Southern France made long-range forays (LRFs) of up to 800 km to converge in the threatened Iberian “dehesas” to forage. There, extensive livestock and wild ungulates provide large amounts of carcasses, which are available to scavengers from traditional exploitations and rewilding processes. Our results highlight that maintaining Iberian “dehesas” is critical not only for local biodiversity but also for long-term conservation and the ecosystem services provided by avian scavengers across the continent.

Hidden effects of high numbers of tourists in protected areas: displacement of foraging top scavengers

“…2020, Delgado‐González et al . 2022), we filtered the locations to obtain a single location per Vulture per day. This was the GPS position closest to solar noon within the 10:00–14:00 h interval, corresponding to times of major flight and foraging activity (Arrondo et al .…”

Large‐scale movement patterns in a social vulture are influenced by seasonality, sex, and breeding region

“…Home‐range size and cumulative distance traveled are key elements in the study of animal movement ecology (Kie et al, 2010 ; Shaw, 2020 ; Thaker et al, 2019 ; Tucker et al, 2018 ), defining foraging patterns at the individual and population‐level, and assessing their stability over time (e.g., Shaffer et al, 2017 ). For example, investigating variation in home‐range size and cumulative distance traveled may reveal that certain individuals behave as central‐place foragers during only a specific period of their life cycle (e.g., the breeding season; Carrete & Donázar, 2005 ; Delgado‐González et al, 2022 ). Similarly, the study of home‐range overlap allows the analysis of attraction or repulsion relationships that may affect space use, for example, to avoid competition for resources (Bolnick et al, 2003 ; Cecere et al, 2018 ; Winner et al, 2018 ).…”

“…The breeding period of the species expands from early December (when first copulates occurs) to late August, when fledglings fly from the nest (Donázar, 1993 ; Zuberogoitia et al, 2018 ). Individuals forage over vast areas to satisfy their energetic requirements (e.g., ranging annually from 1560 to 4233 km 2 , Fluhr et al, 2021 ; Monsarrat et al, 2013 ; Nathan et al, 2012 ; Xirouchakis et al, 2021 ), frequently congregating around both wild and domestic ungulate carcasses (Cortés‐Avizanda et al, 2010 , 2012 but see also Delgado‐González et al, 2022 ). Although information exists on Griffon vulture movement ranges (Arkumarev et al, 2021 ; Arrondo et al, 2018 ; Arrondo, Sanz‐Aguilar, et al, 2020 ; Fluhr et al, 2021 ; García‐Ripollés et al, 2011 ; Harel et al, 2017 ; Spiegel et al, 2013 , 2015 ; Xirouchakis et al, 2021 ; Xirouchakis & Mylonas, 2007 ; Zuberogoitia et al, 2013 ), virtually nothing is known about the spatio‐temporal variation in the movement patterns of adult individuals, or about the factors (e.g., sex, breeding region) governing the spatial ecology and home‐range fidelity of this species from a mechanistic perspective.…”

Large-scale movement patterns in a social vulture are influenced by seasonality, sex, and breeding region

“…Home-range size and cumulative distance travelled are key elements in the study of animal movement ecology (Kie et al, 2010;Tucker et al, 2018;Thaker et al, 2019;Shaw et al, 2020), defining foraging patterns at the individual and population-level, and assessing their stability over time (e.g., Shaffer et al,2017). For example, investigating variation in home-range size and cumulative distance travelled may reveal that certain individuals behave as central-place foragers during only a specific period of their life cycle (e.g., the breeding season; Carrete & Donazar, 2005;Delgado-Gonzalez et al, 2022). Similarly, the study of home-range overlap allows the analysis of attraction or repulsion relationships that may affect space use, for example, to avoid competition for resources (Cecere et al, 2018;Winner et al, 2018;Bolnick et al, 2003).…”

“…The Eurasian Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus is a monomorphic social species that breeds colonially (Donazar, 1993;Harel et al, 2017;Zuberogoitia et al, 2018;Almaraz et al, 2022). Individuals forage over vast areas to satisfy their energetic requirements (e.g., ranging from 140 to 4,233 km 2 , Nathan et al, 2012;Montsarrat et al, 2013;Fluhr et al, 2021;Xirouchakis et al, 2021,), frequently congregating around both wild and domestic ungulate carcasses (Cortes-Avizanda et al, 2010; but see also Delgado-Gonzalez et al, 2022). Although information exists on Griffon vulture movement ranges (Xirouchakis & Mylonas, 2007;Garcia-Ripolles et al, 2011;Zuberogoitia et al, 2013;Spiegel et al, 2013;Harel et al 2017;Arrondo et al 2018Arrondo et al , 2020Arkumarev et al, 2021;Xirouchakis et al,2021;Fhlur et al, 2021), virtually nothing is known about the spatio-temporal variation in the movement patterns of adult individuals, as well as, on the factors (e.g., sex, breeding region) governing the spatial ecology and home range fidelity of this species from a mechanistic perspective.…”