Environmental conservationists in Cyprus released Griffon vultures into the wild on Friday in the latest attempt to boost the population of these endangered birds. The number of vultures on the island in the eastern Mediterranean is now the lowest in Europe, as accidental poisoning or changes in farming techniques have left them struggling for food.

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Environmental conservationists released 14 Griffon vultures from Spain into the hills north of Limassol on Friday, bringing the total number of vultures to around 29. Last year, four organizations released 15 Griffon vultures, also known as black vultures, into the wild, but only 11 of them survived.

Conservationists have made several attempts in the past to increase the vulture population, including importing them from the island of Crete.

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These vultures serve as a natural means of waste disposal as they feed on the carcasses of dead animals, an efficient way to prevent the spread of diseases. However, they can die if they ingest poisoned bait deliberately set by farmers to target animals that threaten livestock, even though the use of poisonous baits in Cyprus is illegal but still occurs.

Several of these birds have been equipped with satellite tracking devices before their release to monitor their movements.