Fifteen young red kites released in Aspromonte National Park

Between July 19 and 23, 2025, fifteen young red kites were released in the Aspromonte National Park as part of the reintroduction program underway under the LIFE MILVUS project.
Ten specimens originated from the Canton of Fribourg (Switzerland), where they were taken from their nests in mid-June, while five specimens were born in captivity at the Centro de Recuperación de Fauna Silvestre La Alfranca in Aragon (Spain).

The fifteen red kites, which spent a period of acclimatization in the aviaries of the release center located in the southern part of the park, were equipped with GPS, identification rings, and colored recognition rings by the LIFE MILVUS team (staff from the Aspromonte National Park Authority, the CERM Association, the StOrCal Association, and the Aspromonte Protection Cooperative).
The release operation is the result of international collaboration involving a team of expert ornithologists and climbers in Switzerland, the Canton of Fribourg, the Federal Office for the Environment, the Federal Veterinary Office, and the “Rita Ruch” Recovery Center affiliated with the Natural History Museum of Fribourg, and in Spain, the Government of Aragon and the CRFV La Alfranca team.
The young birds of prey are now facing the delicate phase of adapting to life in the wild, during which they can count on food and water available in a feeding trough located near the aviaries. Their movements are monitored thanks to GPS signals sent by small GPS data loggers with which they have been equipped.
In addition to socializing with each other, the fifteen red kites are also interacting with some of the specimens released in the park in previous years. This year's operation follows two previous releases, carried out in 2023 and 2024, which saw the release of another 25 individuals, originating from Switzerland (Canton of Fribourg) and France (Corsica).