Cloe was born on 27 June 2023 at CERM, she was released in Basilicata on 20 August and reached sub-Saharan Africa on 2 October: these are the highlights of this young vulture’s life.
In the release area, in the Murgia Materana Park, Cloe spent 13 days before embarking on her autumn migration on 2 September, which took her as far as the coast of north-western Sicily. On the afternoon of 23 September, she left the island, maintaining a firm southerly flight direction.
After a sea crossing of over 220 km, Cloe reached the island of Linosa in the evening and landed on this beautiful volcanic rock, located just north-east of the larger island of Lampedusa. Never before has a vulture among those released in Italy, reached and remained on this island.
The LIFE Egyptian vulture team initiated the network of ornithologists that monitors and supports the migration of vultures born at CERM and set free into the wild. Within a short time, ornithologist Angelo Scuderi reported Cloe’s arrival on Linosa to brothers Fabio and Salvatore Tuccio and to Marco Pecoraro, who was on the island to monitor the migration of birds of prey.
Having been informed of the exact location of the Egyptian vulture, the following morning Marco and Salvatore prepared a lavish feast of meat and water in a high, open and clearly visible spot; before they left, they also set up a camera there.
For the young Egyptian vulture, the lunch invitation was too good to resist. After a few exploratory flights, Cloe landed and made herself at home, surrounded by numerous lizards who enjoyed the feast with her.
After refuelling, she resumed her journey at 12.13 p.m. and after a five-hour 330 km flight over the sea, she reached Libya. In the following days, she arrived at the Sahara desert and continued southwards, flying over Algeria. On 2 October 2023, she arrived in Mali, having travelled a total of 4,100 km from where she was released.
Like the other young Egyptain vultures released in previous years, Cloe explored the sub-Saharan area: after passing through Burkina Faso and the northern part of Ghana, she moved on to Niger, on the border with Mali.
