Inspectors at Charyn State National Nature Park have filmed a cinereous vulture chick in its nest. Kazakhstan’s Forestry and Wildlife Committee released the footage on July 30.
One chick per season
The cinereous vulture is one of the world’s largest birds of prey. A pair usually lays a single egg and raises one chick during the season, making every successful nesting observation significant.
As scavengers, the birds serve an essential sanitary role in ecosystems by removing animal remains and reducing the risk of disease spreading.
What the sighting tells us
The footage documents successful breeding at one nest in Charyn National Park. A single observation, however, is not enough to conclude that the wider population is increasing.
Park staff say monitoring is carried out regularly without disturbing the birds.
