Breeding season 2012 in Duisburg has begun

While the sun was shining and the air frozen I went to the Zoo Duisburg the first time in 2012. Wanted to wish the cute Eurasion Griffon Vulture couple all the best for the new breeding season, which has already begun. Good luck for a healthy little baby-griffon no.3!!!
First of all I met a nice Marabou, who was gorging big hunks of carrion. Seems there is more than enough to munch!
On the other side of the enclosure, as expected, the two griffons were sitting next to their favourite nesting site. Mummy-griffon stocked up on some sunshine...
...while brave daddy-griffon protected the nest against aggressive porcupines.
At the beginning the porcupine looked very friendly, but then it came very close to the nest.The next moment the porcupine showed his quills and wanted to chase away griffon-daddy,...
...but it became clear very soon, who is the most powerful in the enclosure ;-) Angrily snarling, extended neck....
...and the porcupine runs away! Well done, daddy-griffon!
It seems, some little sticks got out of place during the porcupine-attack, so daddy-griffon hobbled with great efforts to his nest. Sniff, is really looks more any more painful, every day :-( Poor old guy! Arriving in the nest he accurately arranged the sticks at the right place. Finally, mummy-griffon should feel comfortable when laying her egg - and of cource the egg should feel comfortable and safe, too.
To support her partner, mummy-griffon jumped down her stump and started collecting more little sticks in the lawn.
After picking up as many as possible, she brought the sticks to the nest.
Daddy-griffon received the sticks with thanks and together they enlarged their nest.
All the time, they were on the que vive to protect their nest against porcupines and marabous coming to close.
But be careful, don't knot your necks... they already look plucked. It was very interesting watching the griffons fell down on their front and shaking from the left to the right. I guess they wanted to form a hollow in the middle of the nest, where mummy-griffon will lay her egg hopefully soon. I never monitored such a behaviour before... really fascinating! Good luck to you for the new egg!!!In the meantime the younger griffon couple in the little enclosure was munching tasty, fresh carrion. Oh, what a culinary delight!!!


Being gorged the griffons started cleaning their beaks by polishing them at a stump very thoroughly. Few minutes later nearly all blood spatters and leftovers were gone. As usual the so often called "dirty" griffons proved, that they are very cleany animals!!!
Maybe, after sunbathing, the griffons start eating again!? Just take a look at the whimsically smile in the carrions direction ;-)