Livestock farms in the mid-Ebro Valley were regularly monitored for carcass disposal and food availability before and after the carcass removal programme was established. At the same time Griffon Vulture censuses were carried out. During 2004 vultures fed almost exclusively on pigs. Since 2005 carcasses have not been available for vultures, but griffon numbers using the area have remained roughly the same. Most of the vultures previously present were nonbreeding birds, which probably increased their chances of survival by feeding far from the breeding colonies. Since the inception of the carcass removal programme, the situation has reversed, with adults now outnumbering immature birds. The establishment of carcass removal programmes all over Spain could affect the stability and future evolution of Griffon Vulture populations. To ensure a proper conservation policy for vulture species, scientific research is urgently needed in other areas before management measures are implemented.
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