The Egyptian vulture in the Canary Islands

In the Canary Islands, the endemic subspecies “guirre” (Neophron percnopterus majorensis) was very abundant in the archipelago until the 1950s (about 400 birds) when a significant decline (-68%) began which confined it to the islands of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote (and neighbouring islets).

Previous distribution of the Egyptian vulture in the Canary Islands

The population began to show a clear increase from 1998 onwards: They it occupied just 23 territories back then, but were spread over 67 territories by 2017 (61 in Fuerteventura and 6 in Lanzarote), when over 300 birds were recorded.
The “guirre canario” is included in the Catálogo Español de Especies Amenazadas (Spanish Catalogue of Endangered Species) under the category “In Danger of Extinction”.

Current distribution of the Egyptian vulture in the Canary Islands

Life Egyptian Vulture