Although some of the causes of extinction and decline of vulture population has virtually disappeared, the many threats that today threaten their survival.
At present, monitoring the Spanish population of vultures has led to the causes of mortality acting on the species. Techniques such as marking and tracing and follow radioseguimiento allow copies for up to 4 years along considerable distances. Analyzing 28 individuals found dead during the past 20 years in the Pyrenees, 17 (60.7 ) died from ingesting toxic, 3 (10.7 ) were killed by gunfire, 2 (17.1 ) suffered electrocution in support electricity cable, and 1 (3.5 ) died to collide with power lines, ignoring the cause of death of the rest.
The main cause of death in the bearded vulture is associated with the illegal use of poisoned baits, seriously compromising the growth of the Spanish population and its colonization of new areas. The poison affects the adult birds because of their greater experience in the localization of small debris during the reproductive cycle. It affects, therefore, the most valuable segment of the population given the expertise available in the knowledge of their environment and its capacity for reproduction.
The use of poison, an offense since 1995, is an illegal practice that leads to the indiscriminate killing of thousands of wild animals in Spain, especially predators and scavengers including listed species threatened with extinction. This practice is associated with outdated methods of animal control at the hands of individuals and institutions inexperienced in the management of wildlife and insensitive to natural processes of ecosystems espanoles. Consent to such practices to prevent the Spanish society to exercise their constitutional right to enjoy the environment.
The second leading cause of unnatural deaths in Spain are the incidents involving power lines located in mountainous areas, close to hills or slopes of medium and high altitude areas because of frequent step. Death is caused by collision or electrocution. The modern management of the utilities, in line with European legislation, allowing the corrective measures that reduce the impact on wildlife. Collaboration is considered essential in this sector to achieve successful recovery of endangered species such as vultures.
Illegal hunting is considered one of the most important factors in the process of extinction of vultures throughout their range. These attacks are becoming less frequent because of the protection of species and a greater awareness and sensitivity on the part of the group of hunters, who often complain about these anachronistic and illegal actions that harm their image to society. Respect for nature is directly linked to the cultural landscape of society that enjoys and managed.
The survival of the bearded vulture is also threatened by factors such as transformation and loss of habitat due to construction of major infrastructure in mountain areas, the inconvenience caused by direct human activity in sensitive areas such as ravines or large rock and cut a very especially for the abandonment of traditional farming practices and changes in farming methods to be replaced by ranching practice of intensive confinement.
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