Six vultures killed near electricity poles in Korfi despite earlier risk warnings

Korfi, Cyprus. Six vultures have died and another has been seriously injured in incidents involving electricity poles in the Korfi area, the Game and Fauna Service said. The service warned that the risks had been identified before the first bird was killed.

Risks flagged before first fatality

In an announcement on Friday, the service said a dead vulture and an injured vulture were discovered on September 30 beneath medium-voltage electricity poles belonging to the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC).

The poles had been identified to the EAC as posing a very high risk to birdlife in early 2025, well before the first vulture fatality was recorded, the service said. It stressed that the danger at the location was known and had been flagged in advance.

Insulation measures have not eliminated danger

According to the service, measures taken by the EAC to insulate parts of the poles have not eliminated the risk of electrocution.

The service said it had repeatedly recommended installing fully insulated XLPE conductors or placing power lines underground, measures it maintains would eliminate the danger. It formally communicated these recommendations to the EAC in letters dated October 17, 2025, and March 20, 2026.

Protection in sensitive areas

Vultures are a rare, strictly protected species classified as threatened under national legislation.

Following the incident, the service stressed that interventions on existing electricity infrastructure identified as dangerous to birds, as well as the construction of new networks in sensitive areas, must be timely, technically appropriate and comprehensive.

These areas include Natura 2000 sites, forests, bird migration routes and high-risk locations within the territories of threatened species.