The First Anti Poison Dog Unit in Bulgaria to Secure the Eagle and Vulture Populations Persistence
2018
Dobromir D. Dobrev | Nikolai G. Terziev
Poisons in ecological systems pose threat to a number of mammal and bird species at global scale (Zugasti, 2014, Brochet et al., 2017). This is recognized as the most severe threat to all vulture species worldwide (Botha et al., 2017) and at the same time the use of poison baits is one of the most serious threats recognized to the globally threatened Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) nowadays (Horvath et al., 2016). In Bulgaria 42% of the established cases of mortality in Griffon Vultures (Gyps fulvus) and 86% of the cases in the endangered Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) are due to poisoning (Demerdzhiev et al., 2014a, Saravia et al., 2016). In the Eastern imperial eagle population in Bulgaria up to 12 % of the juvenile and immature individuals become victims of poisoning accidents (Demerdzhiev et al., 2014b). More than a decade ago the first anti-poison dog units were established in Spain to detect poisons and to prevent the mass killing of scavengers in Iberia. Since then several such units have been established across Europe (e.g. Italy, Spain, Hungary, Greece). With the emerging need of more actions to be performed on ground fighting the poisons use, the first antipoison dog unit was established in Bulgaria in 2016 to secure the vultures and imperial eagles populations persistence in the country.
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