International Vulture Awareness Day 2012 - First-hand info from Münster

International Vulture Awareness Day 2012 is over,
long live International Vulture Awareness Day 2013!

I would like to write some more articles about International Vulture Awareness Day 2012 during the next days. And I am still waiting for some returns of my second IVAD event...

But today it's a pleasure to share some information and pictures I got from the Allwetterzoo Münster today! What a wonderful feeling, that more and more people know about my blog and sending me first-hand information, even without sending prior request!!! Many thanks to Münster!!!

My translation: "In 2007 the Angkor Centre for Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity (ACCB) operated from the Allwetterzoo Münster became offical partner of the „Cambodia Vulture Conservation Project“. The focus is on funding vulture-restaurants (special feeding-places for wild vultures) to support vultures with additional food and monitoring of vulture's population, as well as annual counting of population number, actions to look for nests, strict watch of nests and regular control of the country's Diclofenac-availability.

ACCB was supporting International Vulture Awareness Day in recent years - but unfortunately this year's support wasn't possible for personnel reasons."

Very interesting news of a project and vulture centre I don't know a lot about. Will inform myself online soon.

Once again, best wishes to the friendly team of Allwetterzoo Münster and zoo director J. Adler!Thank you very much for your information and pictures and of course good luck to all your vulture projects!!!

International Vulture Awareness Day 2012 in Zoo of Münster

During the last weeks and months I was very stressed and not able to organize a big event for International Vulture Awareness Day 2012. However I wanted to celebrate the most important day of the year. 

Who else officially took part with special events you can find out on the website of the International Vulture Awareness Day 2012. In Germany there were just the world greatest birdpark "Weltvogelpark Walsrode" and me celebrating our beloved vultures. But, well, in Germany we don't really have wild vultures, I guess that's why noone really knows about the International Vulture Awareness Day.

But let's talk about my spontaneous event: Of course I wanted to share this special day with vultures, somewhere in a zoo. I decided to go to the Allwetter Zoo Münster (all weather zoo) where eight Eurasian Griffon Vultures, two Eurasian Black Vultures and two Secretary Birds are living together in a very huge enclosure.

The most important criterion was a bench infront of the enclosure, where you can comfortable sit and watch the vultures all day. And it's a good place to get into a conversation with other visitors, who stop to watch the vultures or take pictures.

My sis, my little niece and me tried to get in contact to the visitors and told them about International Vulture Awareness Day. NOONE ever heard about this important day! Educational work is badly necessary to get people aware of vultures and Vulture Day! Whenever we got into a conversation we asked the visitors to write down positive thoughts about vultures on my best vulture pics of the Croatian vulture rescue centre Eko-Centar Caput Insulae Beli, the South African vulture rescue centre VulPro and the Zoo of Duisburg.

 

Some visitors even wrote down different positive things and we talked for a while. In this conversations I did my best to make some good promotion for vultures and raise vulture's awareness. Well, I guess an exhibition stand close to the enclosure would be much better to attract more people... But what is sure is that when there is just one person at the end of the day who started thinking about vultures in a positive way and will pay more attention to them in the future, I achieved my main goal!!!

 

the cute and totally in love Eurasian Black Vulture couple was very busy unseasonably building a nest all day. But they seemed to be interested in our event, too, 'cause every now and then they came close to our bench.

All in all, besides our event, there was enough time to observe and enjoy the beautiful vultures inside the enclosure. I especially loved the view, when the majestic Eurasian Griffon Vultures flew down from their nesting wall, square to our bench, sometimes even at eye level. Amazing!!!
Whenever people took part in our Vulture Day event we gave a self-made vulture badge as a thank-you gift. The people really liked is and proudly presented our vulture badges by pinning it on their clothes ;-) Katja, thank you very, very much for your adorable portrait of "The Lady" we were allowed to use!!!
Hereinafter some impressions of our International Vulture Awareness Day 2012:

"Carrion go!"

"Vultures are super!!!" (Matilda, 1,5 years old, always tries to imitate their gait)

"Vultures are a health police. They eat left-overs."

"A very royal animal."

"Vultures are really awesome and very special animals." (Eva Romy, 5 years old)

"Very funny."

"Proud... Noble"

"Many vultures." (...were living in the zoos enclosure)

"Impressive wingspan."

"FREEDOM!"

"Gorgeous"

"Imposing."

"Vultures have a great wingspan."

"Vultures are very awesome animals."

"Very awesome."

"Are looking very funny... impressive."

"Vultures eat meat."

"Vultures clean up in Africa, America, Europe and Asia."

"Bearded Vultures eat bones."

All these beautiful pictures and compliments will be a wonderful vulture-collage.

Our thank-you vulture badges (photo topmodel "The Lady", Eurasian Black Vulture living in Belgium).

Now I am waiting for the feedback of my second International Vulture Awareness Day 2012 event... Of course I will report about it in a few days.
With this in mind: Triple "Carrion go!" to all vultures on this planet!!!