Firstborn son of Leshka - Parvolet, hatched in April 2014, soon left his home - the Rescue Center Wildlife Balkans - Stara Zagora. He went to the aviary for adaptation in Sliven, maintained within the Project Return of Griffon vulture in Bulgaria, will be released later this year.
Both adult vultures who laid eggs are longtime favourites and residents of the Centre. Leshka arrived here in 2000 with severe leg fracture. She was the first bird in Bulgaria, to which was made osteosynthesis - surgical method of inserting a nail into the broken bone. Unfortunately, although healed beautifully, Leshka’s operated leg was shorter than the other, and during the time of rehabilitation, she got used to people too much, so the Green Balkans team decided to keep her for breeding aviary.
In 2006, even though she was alone, Leshka laid her first egg, which surprised both herself and the entire team. The very next year, thanks to our colleagues from the Fund for Wild Flora and Fauna and Sofia Zoo, a partner for Leshka was found. Four consecutive years the family lays a fertilized egg, which to our great disappointment, yet failed to hatch. This failure we attribute except inexperience of the young mother and the fact that because of the lame leg, she repeatedly broke the egg while cared for it.
Griffon vultures in nature lay a single egg, which both parents incubate carefully 48-54 days. Unlike other birds, vultures began breeding season very early - even in winter, so that their young hatch in early spring, when mammals give birth to their babies. In the wild, it is the tme when more animals die - mothers or babies – so small vultures have enough food.