A journey from Kresna Gorge to Yemen
The immature griffon vulture Nelson (2018) was equipped with satellite transmitter, wing tagged and ringed in Kresna Gorge. Its journey brought our team (on Google maps) to Arab Peninsula. We have received frequent data from Saudi Arabia, but as soon as the bird entered Yemen it stopped. Later on, the bird entered Saudi Arabia again and we have received all the locations from the last 15 days and found out the vulture had been mainly wandering around Sanaa. In November it came back to Yemen eventually and we lost contact, until …
On 5th of April 2019 we have received hundreds messages and e-mails from Yemenis, who were very concerned about welfare of a caught Griffon vulture.
It appeared from the pictures sent, it is Nelson- C2. The bird fell down in the vicinity of city of Taiz and local people took care of it. We were updated about Nelson location and condition, thanks to all wonderful people, who were so much in the story and do care for bird’s survival, although the current military situation they are facing in Yemen.
Our team got into contact with local nature conservationists there. Considering the unsafe situation because of Yemen’s civil war and Yemeni people has also witnessed two outbreaks of cholera and acute watery diarrhea since 2016, the chance to support Nelson was limited.
Meanwhile the vulture has been captured by a militia in Yemen who feared the migrating bird was a spy, because of the GPS tracker attached to the wing. The pro-government force that runs Taiz and has defended it from the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels decided that the tag, which was fitted with GPS location services so it could be monitored, was a Houthi spying device.
First help came from Mr. Pierre Gay, director of Bioparc Zoo De Doue in France http://www.bioparc-zoo.fr/en/, who has been providing long-term support to Fund for Wild Flora and Fauna in Bulgaria, but also to a Yemeni NGO One World Actors Animal Rescue, which normally tries to engineer the rescue of animals from zoos in war-torn locations. Mr Al-Hoot from One World was recruited to help, but first he has to travel about 12 hours from Sanaa to Taiz, on a dangerous route.
Mr Al-Hoot has spent ten days in Taiz, has been trying to convince a militia in Yemen to release the vulture. He was allowed to provide food to Nelson daily, waiting for militia’s decision meanwhile.
FWFF and Green Balkans, running Тhe Bright Future for Black Vulture LIFE14 NAT/BG/649 Project, have contacted and asked for political support from international organizations and embassies.
Finally, the help came from Mr Ben Keatinge, the Nelson Settlement Trust in Ireland, who succeeded to attract international attention and media. As a result Mr Al-Hoot has been given the tag by General Abdu Farhan al-Makhlafi, the commander of the base where the vulture is being held, who is better known by his nom de guerre General Salem. Nelson, however, was still in custody.
Fortunately, on April 16, Nelson has been released from jail. He has been transported from Taiz to Sanaa and has had a full veterinary assessment which indicates a number of health issues which will need 5-6 weeks rehabilitation.
The organization on the ground rehabilitating Nelson needs funding urgently. Their webpage is: https://www.oneworldactorsanimalrescues.org/
Conservation of vultures in the Balkans requires endless efforts and lots of energy. If you like to help and donate, get informed about FWFF projects and activities on www.fwff.org
People from FWFF and Green Balkans feel a deep gratitude for all the help from Yemeni people, who have contacted and alarmed us! We are deeply indebted to Mr Al-Hoot and Kim-Michelle Broderick from One World Actors Animal Rescue, Mr Pierre Gay, Mr Ben Keatinge, Hafeda and Yemeni Embassy in Bulgaria.
For more information from different points of view watch and read:
Arabic TV with Nelson’s rescuer Hisham Al- Hoot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjpjrIGCKcc&feature=share
The Times: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/nelson-the-wayward-vulture-held-as-enemy-spy-by-yemen-wg6rqq957
The Daily Mail: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6931217/Migrating-vulture-seized-SPY-militants-Yemen.html
The Sun: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8884663/yemen-fighters-vulture-nelson-hostage-spy/
The Australian: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/the-times/winged-spy-nelson-a-hostage-to-paranoia/news-story/fb1e5593a6a2b99cfaffc9d4018cfc38
Darik radio: https://dariknews.bg/novini/liubopitno/nash-leshoiad-zadyrzhan-za-shpionazh-v-jemen-snimki-2160593