Bird can carrion flying

Calpe talon spotting saves vulture

CALPE'S animal protection service rescued a griffon vulture on Tuesday after a neighbour alerted the local police.

The vulture is to be transferred to the Alicante wildlife recovery centre and will eventually be flying again.

ANIMAL protection officers needed a head for heights this week when they rescued a griffon vulture from a Calpe rooftop.

The feathered visitor was spotted on top of an apartment block by a sharpeyed member of the public at ground level in Calle Benissa, who raised the alarm.

Armed with nets and essential leather gauntlets, the specialist animal protection and collection service, helped by local police, successfully captured the bird of prey. It will be taken to a specialist wildlife centre in Alicante.

It is thought likely the bird of prey took to skies and escaped from a Costa Blanca theme park or simply got lost – in the wild, only juveniles migrate long distances while adults live in loose colonies, nesting on mountainous crags away from human beings.

Spain has the largest population of griffon vultures in Europe; they are present from the mountainous regions in the south to the Pyrenees in the north.

Adults can weigh 10.2kg and have a wingspan of over 2.7m; these scavengers feed on carcasses of dead animals but when carrion is in short supply, they will attack small weak animals.

A Calpe town hall spokesman said: “It is not the first time the animal protection service has had to rescue birds from high places, usually it’s owls that have made an unscheduled stop. They have nets and leather gloves ready for these occasions.”