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Supplementary Feeding and Changes in Breeding-Site Occupancy of Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus within the King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Royal Natural Reserve, Saudi Arabia
Proportion of the area of the contribution comprising Key Biodiversity Areas: 10.1%
This study assessed Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus breeding-site occupancy before and after the introduction of supplementary feeding in the King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Royal Natural Reserve, northern Saudi Arabia. Fifty-seven cliff sites were surveyed in 2024 and resurveyed in 2025 after feeding stations operated during the breeding period. Occupancy increased from 56.1% to 75.4%, with colonization of inactive sites exceeding losses. Occupancy was highest in the zone where feeding-station use was greatest, although this zone also had the highest pre-feeding occupancy. Across the survey area, 82 active nests were recorded in 2025. The results suggest that carefully managed feeding using veterinary-screened carcasses may support breeding-site use, but the before-and-after design without an independent unfed control area limits causal inference, and longer-term monitoring is needed to distinguish sustained population growth from short-term redistribution.
- Supplementary Feeding and Changes in Breeding Site Occupancy of Griffon Vultures Gyps Fulvus Within the King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Royal Natural Reserve, Saudi Arabia
Potential conservation benefits in saving biodiversity
Potential reduction of species extinction risk resulting from threat abatement actions
Absolute value (STAR)
0.1% of the total biodiversity conservation potential of Saudi Arabia is covered by this project.
0.3% of Asia's biodiversity conservation potential is from Saudi Arabia.
25.9% of global biodiversity conservation potential is from Asia.
The chart below represents the relative disaggregation of the selected contribution's total potential opportunity for reducing global species extinction risk through taking actions to abate different threats to species within its boundaries. The percentages refer to the amount of the total opportunity that could potentially be achieved through abating that particular threat.