Bred 4 the Wild

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Bred 4 the Wild

People coming together in a project of hope for the conservation of the critically endangered Bearded vulture. Join us in our journey

This proactive breeding programme will supplement the dwindling wild population with the release of captive-bred progeny.

05/09/2026

Just a pause in 365 sunrises to appreciate our awesome aerial scavengers. Although not known for their ‘song’, they still need a voice.

02/09/2026

All harvested eggs are candled by two aviculturists on return to the Breeding Station. This stunning egg showed no life (was unviable), but was incubated until 'full term' to ensure against human error. Each egg matters!

15/08/2026

This is Bearded Vulture country...
To access nest territories in Lesotho for egg harvest we drive with 4x4 vehicles into the highland interior; discovèring places and meeting new people along the way.

12/08/2026

The last South African nest access for the 2026 Bearded Vulture Breeding season was to a lowland territory in a protected area.

Thank you Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife for protecting these birds and partnering with us in the species Recovery Programme.

09/08/2026

Bearded vulture eggs are stained in a beautiful variety of golden browns. After harvest, we hold them over their end-term incubation period till hatch.

A healthy chick is always positioned in the same way (see diagram two). As embryonic development progresses, the internal air-cell gets bigger. This ‘drawdown’ can be seen through the shell when candling and is recorded by tracing the changes towards hatch. (Front egg in image one).

25/07/2026

The first egg harvest excursion for 2026 was to the South African Drakensberg escarpment, which can only be accessed by air.

We revisited a particularly difficult breeding territory and managed finally to get to the nest; our third attempt after a decade of trying!

We came away from this long day with two eggs from two territories and the hope they will hatch into healthy chicks to add to the programme.

22/07/2026

BRED4THEWILD GOLF DAY

Calling all golfers!

Join us at the Underberg Country Club on Saturday, 1 August

Format : 4 Ball Alliance - Scramble Drive
Green Fees: R360 per player incl.halfway meal
Tee-off: 10:00 AM

Get your four-ball together and support a great cause while enjoying a fantastic day of golf.

Entry list on the notice board at the Underberg Country Club or WhatsApp Steve on this number.

20/07/2026

The founder population stands at 26 birds so far, and it is hoped this year to reach the target of 32 captive Bearded Vultures.

This means that 6 eggs will need to be collected between the Lesotho and South Africa territories. Four females and two males would complete the captive pairs.

18/07/2026

Winter in the mountains is a time of fire and ice, and with the firebreak burns and the frosty mornings comes the Bearded Vulture breeding season.

For the harvest team this means final preparations for nest access to collect eggs to complete the founder population. Follow us for this 2026 season.

14/02/2026

LOVE IS............ With five sets of birds paired, the Bearded Vulture Breeding Programme is moving gently into the second phase of operation, which is for the founder population birds to produce young. We watch with anticipation for the first signs of pair bonding and breeding behaviour.

❤️

Address

Bearded Vulture Breeding Station
Underberg
3257

Telephone

+27829253023

Website

http://www.bred4thewild.com/

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