Project implementation will optimize the habitat and breeding conditions for Egyptian vulture and cinereous vulture populations at the territory of Usturt State Nature Reserve. To achieve this, 3 supplementary feeding sites will be established at the project area. Supplementary feeding will be carried out twice a month from April till October 2018. 2-3 camera traps will be mounted in vicinity to each feeding site at different distances and with different angles and will record the presence of vultures and other predators (terrestrial and birds) feeding on animal by-products. The analysis of numerous images will allow us to assess the number and species composition of birds gathering at feeding sites. The reserve is located about 150 km from Zhanaozen (the place of residence of personnel of the reserve) and using of camera traps will allow us to get a great amount of information from this remote area at relatively low labour costs and with less time. This time we intend to conduct a vulture nest counting survey at the whole territory of Mangistau Region. Usually, vultures nest at the chinks (a local name for chalk escarpment) that are relatively steep and inaccessible for humans and terrestrial predators. The nests are situated in rock crevices and at rocky lodges. To achieve this task, the whole Western chink will be examined, which is the main nesting area for vulture’s species in Mangistau Region. The total length of the Western chink is about 700 km. We are planning to survey previous and the newly established vulture nest sites along the entire Western chink. To count the nests we will use both a road count survey with an off-road vehicle (where possible) and walking routes along the base of the escarpment. Spotting scopes and binoculars will be used for observations of vultures and their nests. All detected nests will be mapped using GIS.

Also, we continue our campaign among local community in order to form positive public opinion on the vulture’s species.