Redeia, a global manager of essential electricity and connectivity infrastructure, has launched a rescue programme for specimens of this endangered species in the Aragonese Pyrenees. This initiative was undertaken in collaboration with the Foundation for the Conservation of the Bearded Vulture (FCQ). This partnership aligns with the Bearded Vulture Conservation Strategy in Spain and is set to continue over the coming months. It involves the targeted and planned extraction of eggs, chicks, and specimens from their natural habitat for subsequent reintroduction.

By focusing only on a small percentage of the bearded vultures in Aragon—25 pairs with a typically very low reproductive rate, as is common in natural raptor populations—the programme significantly increases reproductive success and the number of young specimens introduced into the wild. Through this biological conservation project, pairs that previously failed to reproduce will now produce new individuals. Therefore, the project increased genetic diversity in the Iberian population of the species, which had so far been underrepresented. 
 

This initiative also includes awareness-raising actions that will benefit the Pyrenean community. It involves entities such as the Government of Aragon, which oversees the administrative approval for the programme, and Nature Protection Agents (APN). Both, together with FCQ technicians, are responsible for rescuing the eggs and chicks from the targeted pairs.

Redeia and its subsidiary Red Eléctrica, the company responsible for the transmission and operation of the Spanish electricity system, have maintained a long-standing collaboration with this foundation across Spain. This has facilitated the implementation of numerous projects in several key autonomous communities for the species' conservation. 

In Aragon alone, this joint effort has made it possible to restore the bird breeding and recovery centre at La Alfranca (Zaragoza). Moreover, they protect birdlife by marking power lines near bearded vulture flight paths in the Pyrenees, such as the Isuela-Arguis and Sahún gorges. The Eco Museum Visitor Center for Pyrenean Wildlife at the Aínsa Castle in Huesca, the foundation’s headquarters and an international benchmark for the conservation and dissemination of Pyrenean biodiversity, has also been modernised with improved content and equipment.

“The collaboration we have maintained with the Foundation for the Conservation of the Bearded Vulture for over ten years is producing highly positive results and is a clear example of Redeia's commitment to the protection of birdlife, particularly for this species”, said Redeia's Manager of Ebro Regional Officer, José Ignacio Lallana.

Meanwhile, Juan Antonio Gil, secretary of the Foundation for the Conservation of the Bearded Vulture, emphasised the importance of Redeia's commitment to biodiversity. “Marking power lines with bird protector devices is essential for the conservation and protection of birds. Therefore, on behalf of the Foundation for the Conservation of the Bearded Vulture, we would like to express our gratitude for the ongoing commitment and efforts of Red Eléctrica and its parent company, Redeia, in this endeavour over the years”, he emphasised.

The collaboration between Redeia and the FCQ also extends to other regions, such as Asturias, where the ‘Comprehensive conservation area for the bearded vulture in the Sierra del Cuera’ project is currently underway. This project includes a permanent station dedicated to studying the impact of climate change on the bearded vulture and biodiversity. Its method is a periodic analysis of disease-transmitting vectors, such as insects. This research also benefits other bird species, local livestock, and ultimately the entire mountain habitat.