View-point of the vultures

The Belvédère of the vultures is an animalist park located at Saint-Pierre-of-Tripe butchers in the Gorges of Jonte in Lozere. Devoted initially to the reintroduction of the vultures in the department, it then evolved/moved in order to make discover with the general public the lifestyle of these Charognard S .

History

The vultures have been present in the throats of Jonte for approximately 70.000 years. They were used as cleaners during all the moyenâgeuse period of these places, removing the peasants from the carcasses. They peacefully cohabited with the men until the middle of the 19th century.

At the end of the Années 1940 the last specimens of fawn-coloured vultures disappear from the sky French. In 1970 an attempt is carried out in order to reintroduce it in the Gorges of Jonte. Thus 4 specimens of Spanish origin are slackened. A little more than one year later, they miss all with the call. A programme of breeding in captivity is then launched. Ten years later freedom is returned to the prisoners. In 2000, the tourist frequentation of the View-point and throats of Jonte bordered them: 26000 people per annum.

The museum

August 1st

The view-point

A terrace of observation was installation in order to be able to observe them as well as possible flying in the throats. Contrary to the most current parks, the vultures are here in total freedom, and do not have any obligation to remain on the spot. It even frequently arrives that they are observed going up the valley of the Lot. Certain specimens travelled very far, to Senegal and the Netherlands for example. Since 1998,3 mobile cameras were installed (on a nest, a perch and a surface of food) in order to be able to observe them with nearest since the view-point. The meetings vidéos are moreover commented on by a ornithologist which explains on line than it occurs.

The operation of the park

Food

Mass graves were arranged in order to nourish the vultures, while making it possible to the visitors to attend the " repas". These mass graves are moreover imposed on the park by the health authorities. They are members of LPO or National park of the Cevennes which are in loads of the collection and the équarissage of the animals. Since 1998, the stockbreeders obtained the legal authorization to build their own mass grave without passing by the above-named intermediaries.

Financing

Most of the park is maintained by the SELO and the Community the communes the valley Jonte

Species

; The fawn-coloured Vulture Characterized by a white head, it has a scale of more than 2m40, for a weight in the neighborhoods of the 10kgs. It is the first species reintroduced in the park, and this as of 1981. ; The Vulture monk Slightly larger than the fawn-coloured vulture, the vulture monk is however lighter. It was reintroduced in Lozere, following the success of the preceding experiment, in 1992. ; The Vulture percnoptère Migrating species, much smaller (1 m 60 of scale for 2kgs surroundings), the vulture pernoptère returned to Lozere by its own means little time after the arrival of the fawn-coloured vulture. There does not remain however all the year in the throats of Jonte, and flees the winter of causses towards hotter destinations (sub-Saharan Africa).

Sources and references

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