site.btaEgyptian Vulture Conservation Project with Bulgarian Participation Reaches LIFE Awards Final

A project aiming to strengthen the population of Egyptian vultures, where Bulgaria is one of the partners, is among the finalists for the LIFE Awards 2026, as seen in a European Commission (EC) news story.

The 20th anniversary of the LIFE Awards is scheduled to take place on June  3 as part of EU Green Week 2026, celebrating the most innovative and impactful LIFE projects contributing to environmental and climate action across Europe, said the EC. 

The project with Bulgarian participation is titled Urgent Action to Strengthen the Balkan Population of the Egyptian Vulture and Secure Its Flyway. The Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds is coordinating beneficiary for the project.

It aims to:

• Minimize the loss of mature individuals in the breeding grounds due to deliberate or accidental poisoning;
• Reduce mortality due to electrocution and collisions with energy infrastructure;
• Ensure that food availability is not a limiting factor in the breeding grounds;
• Mitigate the threats at the bottleneck and congregation sites along the flyway, including but not limited to loss by poisoning, direct persecution and electrocution;
• Reinforce the Balkan breeding population by deploying a targeted restocking programme aiming to boost population recovery; and
  Increase awareness of and support for Egyptian vulture conservation by engaging relevant stakeholders.

It is the only Bulgarian finalist for the award this year.

Volen Arkumarev of the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds posted on Facebook: "This nomination is recognition for one of the largest international campaigns to save a globally endangered bird species - the iconic Egyptian vulture. Twenty-two partners from 14 countries across Europe, Asia, and Africa joined forces to protect the species along its entire migratory route, stretching from the Balkans to Africa. Thanks to this work, thousands of dangerous power poles were made safe, hundreds of poisoned baits were removed, poaching incidents were prevented, and more than 30 young vultures bred in captivity were given a chance to live in the wild - and much, much more.

"But behind these numbers stand people — hundreds of people — who spent countless hours and days in the field, even risking their lives during dangerous missions in unstable regions. Through their dedication, passion, and belief, they became an inspiration and proved — and continue to prove — that protecting nature and saving an endangered species truly matters.

"And for the first time in more than 30 years, the decline in the Egyptian vulture population in Bulgaria was halted, and the population has slowly begun to recover. This proves that when people from different countries unite around a common cause, a mission that once seemed impossible can become possible."

The other finalists include:

• LIFE Danube floodplains (for reestoration and management of Danube floodplain habitats);
• LIFE WOLFALPS EU (coordinated actions to improve wolf-human coexistence at the alpine population level);
• LIFE AIRFRESH (air pollution removal by FoRESts for a better human well-being);
• LIFE Fitting (demonstration of an innovative PLAN-DO toolbox for a safer, resource-efficient and fit-for-purpose wastewater treatment);
• LIFE Turn to e-circular (awareness building of the circular economy key elements among households in the field of EE equipment);
• LIFE CLIMATE SMART CHEFS (empowering chefs for a climate-smart, sustainable and healthy food system in the EU);
• LIFE WetLands4CLIMATE (Mediterranean wetlands management and restoration as carbon sinks);
• LIFE Climate value chains (establishing climate friendly processing chains to reduce carbon emissions and support the new green deal).

Voting for the awards will be open until 19:00 CEST on June 3 at https://www.lifeawards.eu/.