Six vultures dead as EAC safety measures criticised

Six vultures have died and another has been seriously injured in incidents involving electricity poles in the Korfi area, with the Game and Fauna Service warning that the risks had been identified well before the first bird was killed. In an announcement on Friday, the service said a dead vulture and an injured vulture were discovered on September 30 beneath medium-voltage electricity poles belonging to the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC). The service said the electricity poles in question had been identified to the EAC as posing a very high risk to birdlife in early 2025, well before the first vulture fatality was recorded. It stressed that the danger at the location was therefore known and had been flagged in advance. According to the service, measures taken by the EAC to insulate parts of the poles have not eliminated the risk of electrocution. It said it had repeatedly recommended the installation of fully insulated XLPE conductors or the undergrounding of power lines, measures which it maintains would eliminate the danger. The service said it had formally communicated these recommendations to the EAC in letters dated October 17, 2025, and March 20, 2026. Vultures are a rare, strictly protected species classified as threatened under national legislation. Following the incident the service stressed that interventions on existing electricity infrastructure identified as dangerous to birds, as well as the construction of new networks in sensitive areas, must be timely, technically appropriate and comprehensive. Such areas include Natura 2000 sites, forests, bird migration routes and high-risk locations within the territories of threatened species. It reiterated its position that new electricity networks in particularly sensitive areas should be placed underground, while appropriate protective measures should be implemented on existing infrastructure. The service also warned that power lines pose a wider threat to wildlife through collisions and electrocutions, particularly affecting birds of prey. It noted that electricity infrastructure can also cause fires, with serious consequences for wildlife and vegetation, particularly in Cyprus, where climate change presents an increasingly significant challenge. The service called for immediate corrective measures and changes to existing policies and practices to address the risks to wildlife, the natural environment and the country’s sustainable development. It is worth noting that this year a second griffon vulture chick was born in Cyprus and fitted with a GPS tracker, allowing conservation teams to monitor its movements after it leaves its nest. The chick hatched in mid-May in the Limnatis valley special protection area. Meanwhile six organisations have joined forces to protect three of Cyprus’ most iconic birds of prey through a new EU co-funded conservation programme aimed at tackling the main threats driving their decline. The long-term project focuses on safeguarding the griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus), Bonelli’s eagle (Aquila fasciata) and the long-legged buzzard (Buteo rufinus) by addressing the leading causes of mortality, including poisoned bait, electrocution and collisions with electricity infrastructure, illegal shooting and drowning in open water reservoirs. Project partners said particular emphasis would be placed on strengthening cooperation between government authorities, scientific institutions, environmental organisations and local communities.