Good News for European Vultures

SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY (BSE) IN 2001, THE CONSERvation of European scavengers has been the subject of a legal dilemma: Either we can strictly protect scavenger species (1) or we can destroy livestock carcasses, the scavengers' main source of food (2-5).In 2009, Donázar et al. (3) remarked that it was time for new regulations and that "encouraging fallen stock to be left in situ is the most ecologically harmonious, inexpensive, and eff icient management method for the conservation of scavengers."Fortunately, recommendations became reality.A broad consensus among scientists, conservationists, and managers (5) led to new EU regulations approved in March 2011 (6, 7).Now, the Spanish government has approved a disposition allowing farmers to abandon the remains of their animals in the field and/or feeding stations (8).Although the application will be subject to some sanitary and administrative restrictions, the new scenario is grounds for optimism about the future of the Spanish vulture populations (which represent about 95% of European vultures).With the application of this new measure, Spanish vultures will continue to provide valuable ecosystem services.In Spain alone, avian scavengers are capable of removing 9.9 million tons of carcasses per year.This in turn saves costs for farmers (about € 20 per animal).The industrial destruction of carcasses carries costs between € 66 and € 96 per ton, in addition to the emission of greenhouse gases derived from transport and incineration (5).Overall, these events demonstrate that scientific arguments can indeed trigger positive political action and help to reconcile biodiversity conservation and human activities (9).