A pair of Egyptian vultures is breeding in the Timanfaya National Park, in Lanzarote, a fact that had not occurred "for more than 20 years", according to the managers of that protected area on their Instagram account.
This subspecies of the Egyptian vulture-Neophron percnopterus majorensis-, endemic to the Canary Islands and different from the European and African populations, is recognized as "in danger of extinction" by the National Catalog of Threatened Species of Spain.
It is estimated that its population has been reduced "between 70 and 90 percent in the last half century and that there are about 130 specimens left, with no more than thirty nesting pairs", according to information published about the species by the Government of the Canary Islands.
The couple that has begun breeding in Timanfaya had been exploring the area of the National Park volcanoes for two years and, at this time, is incubating the laying.
"This is the most critical and fragile phase of the reproductive period, so we must emphasize that protection measures are followed", says the Timanfaya National Park.
In this regard, it advises not to approach the nesting areas, avoid holding recreational or sports activities in the surroundings, walk through those spaces in silence and never with loose dogs and leave the area if adult Egyptian vultures are observed less than 250 meters away.
In case of sighting a nest, the National Park asks its visitors "not to approach and try to get away from there as soon as possible."
