Alicante, Spain – Guardia Civil officers have rescued a disoriented griffon vulture found close to the Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernandez airport, only about two kilometers from the runways.

The operations center of the Alicante command was alerted on November 1 through the 112 emergency coordination center about a bird of “large dimensions” near the airport facilities.

Agents from the Seprona unit in Xixona arrived and saw the vulture flying over the area. They immediately notified the airport control tower to prevent the bird from entering the airspace of the runways and interfering with aircraft.

After several flights, the bird landed in a large tree and became trapped among the branches due to its weight and wingspan of about 2.5 meters, leaving it unable to take off again.

With support from staff at the Santa Faz Wildlife Recovery Center in Alicante, the Seprona agents carried out a “safe and controlled” rescue maneuver. They recovered the bird and transported it to the specialized center, where it is receiving care before its future reintroduction to the wild.

The griffon vulture is a young, unringed specimen weighing around ten kilograms. It did not have “visible” injuries but showed “mild” signs of malnutrition and dehydration.

This species is one of the largest birds of prey on the peninsula iberica and plays a crucial role in ecological balance by removing organic remains from natural environments. When food is scarce, younger vultures often undertake long migratory flights in search of new areas.

During these journeys, some birds become disoriented or exhaust their energy reserves, landing in unusual areas such as agricultural fields, roads or urban spaces while searching for food sources.

The Guardia Civil reminds the public that they should not attempt to capture or approach large wild animals or birds of prey like the griffon vulture, as their powerful claws and beak can cause injuries.

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