Record year for bearded vultures in Switzerland
First successful breeding in the canton of St. Gallen – population continues to grow.
26 fledglings – a new record
The reintroduction of the bearded vulture in Switzerland reaches a new milestone in 2025.
A total of 26 fledglings have taken flight this year – more than ever before since the project began. Particularly encouraging: for the first time, a pair bred successfully in the canton of St. Gallen. There are now breeding pairs in five cantons.
Grisons as the stronghold, new cantons follow
The lion’s share of the offspring comes from Grisons, where 16 young birds have left the nest. In Valais, seven fledglings were counted, while Bern, Ticino and St. Gallen each recorded one. Experts regard these figures as evidence that the large birds are increasingly establishing themselves throughout the Alpine region.
«New breeding areas are being added continuously,» say those responsible for the reintroduction project. «This shows that the Swiss Alps continue to offer bearded vultures favourable living conditions.» In the coming years, experts also expect the first breeding pairs in central Switzerland.
Observation days and genetic diversity
In order to continue documenting the distribution and population size accurately, the bearded vulture observation days take place every autumn, as they do each year. The organisers rely on the support of numerous volunteers.
Despite the great success, experts continue to see a need for action. The genetic diversity of the Swiss bearded vulture population remains limited. For this reason, additional birds from genetically suitable lineages will continue to be released into the wild in order to secure the long-term survival of the species.
More on the subject of recreational hunting: In our dossiers on recreational hunting gather fact-checks, analyses and background reports. What the research says about this is shown by Hunting fact-checked: the state of research.
The position of IG Wild beim Wild: IG Wild beim Wild rejects recreational hunting. Our model is the canton of Geneva, which has managed without recreational hunting since 1974: without hunting seasons, without hunting dogs, without driven hunts, without high seats, without the animal cruelty and crime that go hand in hand with hunting season elsewhere. What has worked there for over fifty years disproves every position paper by JagdSchweiz. An association that bases its policy on claims it refutes in its own documents is not a professional organisation, but a factory for misinformation.
